Soup's On
by Of Fans And Flames
Summary: After a bloody altercation at school, the courts sentence Sasuke to one hundred hours of community service. Sasuke takes employment at St. Magdalene's soup kitchen, where he meets a pushy blond vagrant who will change the course of his life. Updated on Sundays
1. Chapter 1

Sasuke scooped out a large spoonful of a rather questionably smelling minestrone soup for the umpteenth time this evening. This was his second week working in the St. Magdalene's soup kitchen, and by all means, it had not grown on the Uchiha. The people smelled funny, his "coworkers" were obnoxious, and he wasn't getting paid a cent. His face clearly spoke for him: I don't want to be here. And if he had any choice in the matter, he'd be out those doors in a heartbeat.

However, as the situation stood, he had not the slightest choice in the matter. After a rather bloody altercation at school, he had been suspended for two weeks and appointed with court-ordered community service. It was either this or juvenile hall. The steely judge made it clear that if Sasuke so much as jay-walked, he wasn't leaving that ugly grey building for quite a while. He could thank his brother, an aspiring lawyer and a prodigy, for garnering him such a merciful verdict.

The room was large with off-white walls, decorated with ads for church musicals and a schedule for weekend services. There were seven large circular tables around the room. As their parents conversed, children zoomed between the tables, playing with a couple cheap plastic toys. The elderly would smile at them, or perhaps stick to themselves and mutter to themselves over a salad. The denizens chattered loudly, and the mood was cheerful.

An elderly man in a stained sweatsuit shuffled up to Sasuke, humbly holding forward his bowl in supplication. His outfit contrasted keenly with Sasuke's neat and meticulous appearance. With a flat face, Sasuke poured him a bowl. The man's gratitude was received with a curt nod as the worker next to him offered him a chicken breast.

"Oh, Sasuke!"

The turkey-necked coworker to his left nudged his arm, smiling at him widely.

"What?"

"You wouldn't be interested in coming to service on Sunday, would you?"

"No."

"Oh, but Sasuke… We worry about you. Have you accepted Jesus into your heart?"

"No."

Sasuke's responses were becoming increasingly icy. The woman prattled on, Sasuke tuning her out adeptly. He expected this much, volunteering in a soup kitchen owned by the church. He didn't want to hear about God. He didn't want to humor any of these people. He just wanted to do his job and go home.

His eyes scanned the room. It was an especially busy night. It was then that he took note of the scrawny boy several people down the line. He remembered this kid. Just like last week, he had been one of the first patrons to enter, loudly shouting "Soup's on!" the instant he cleared the doorway, children giggling. Never mind the fact that they hadn't even served soup last week. He wondered if the kid said the same damned thing every week.

Even aside from his noisy entrance, Naruto caught Sasuke's attention. It wasn't often that he saw people his age in the kitchen. He couldn't have been older than 16, and he appeared to be alone. An oversized grey Led Zeppelin T-shirt contrasted with his wirey frame, a pair of (unintentionally) ripped, faded blue jeans completing the picture. He had wild blond hair, rather intense blue eyes, and scarred cheeks. Sasuke momentarily wondered how the boy had come by such peculiar scars. They made him look almost fox-like. He was bouncing in his spot, a wide, dopey smile on his face as he excitedly waited for his fill.

As his turn came, he trotted up to Sasuke, stumbling over his shoelace in his eagerness.

"So, chef, what's on the menu?"

"Minestrone. Enjoy."

He unceremoniously plunked the sludgy substance in Naruto's bowl.

"Mmm, this smells delicious! Like if God were to eat a garden of tomatoes and the tastiest vegetables on earth and shit them all out, it would be this soup right here."

Sasuke twerked an eyebrow at the blond, appearing rather unamused. The kid's spirit seemed boundless. The wheat-colored head of hair looked back into the line, which stared back impatiently.

"Right. Well thanks for the grub, sourpuss!"

The sky began to darken, and the number of diners slowly began to dwindle. Sasuke glanced at the clock, eagerly awaiting cleanup time. He noted that the teenager remained even after finishing his meal, chatting it up with strangers and entertaining the children. He seemed to thrive on it, beaming as he imitated voices for the kids with plenty of dramatic hand movements, joking with their parents. They seemed familiar with each other. Naruto must have been a regular.

The lead volunteer then stood, announcing, "Thank you so much for coming, everyone. It was a joy to have you for dinner. We're closing up for the night. I hope you join us next week."

All of the guests left… That is, except the blond. He walked up to Sasuke.

"Hi! I'm Naruto."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Didn't you hear her? We're closing."

"What's your name?"

"Go home."

Sasuke was tired. He just wanted to clean his dishes and go, not entertain some imbecile. Naruto scrunched his nose in distaste, speaking in a tone of mock hurt. "Go home? Geez, you really know how to make a hobo feel loved."

A tan finger raised up to his eye to rub away an imaginary tear, sniffing playfully. Sasuke inwardly cringed at his choice of wording. He should've anticipated that Naruto might be homeless. He sighed, feeling like a bit of a dick now.

"My name's Sasuke."

Naruto gave a toothy grin.

"Well nice to meet ya, Sasuke!"

He reached out his hand for a shake, which Sasuke grabbed limply. He stared back dully at Naruto as he moved their hands up and down for far longer than was socially appropriate. Sasuke pulled his hand away.

"So, can I stay while you guys clean up? I'm really booored."

"N-"

But Sasuke was interrupted by the same woman who tried to convert him earlier.

"Of course you can, dear! The more the merrier!"

The woman had to open her trap, yet again...

"Wow, thanks, ma'am!"

Naruto began to grab the plates around the dining room, handing them to Sasuke as he took them to the sink against the wall. Naruto's excess enthusiasm was quickly getting on his nerves.

"So Sasuke, what made ya wanna work in a soup kitchen?"

"The California legal system."

Again, Sasuke made no pretense of wanting to be there. Naruto paused as he grabbed at a plate, failing to catch Sasuke's implication.

"Huh?"

"It's court-ordered. It was here or juvie."

Naruto scrunched his nose innocently in the same motion he had made seconds ago.

"Oooh. What'd ya do? Are you a thief? A drug dealer? A hardened criminal with a surprisingly soft interior and a heart of gold?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"All I did was break someone's nose."

"I broke my nose once! See, look… If you stare really hard, you can see it's a little crooked to the left."

Sasuke grunted as Naruto leaned towards him, pointing to his nose. Naruto's face lit up, apparently enthralled by the coincidence. God, this kid was both odd and absolutely starved for social interaction. Sasuke tried to ignore him, hoping that the boy would become discouraged and finally leave. However, his eagerness didn't waver for a second.

After finishing the dishes, Sasuke wrapped around to wipe down the tables. Naruto picked up a rag and joined Sasuke. The Uchiha couldn't say he minded… It just meant he'd get to leave earlier. It wasn't long before they'd finished cleaning up. Sasuke walked out the door, Naruto following him closely. The shorter male practically begged for eye contact as Sasuke willfully looked in the opposite direction. Itachi's Toyota waited for Sasuke by the curb.

"This is my ride."

Naruto frowned, dramatically gesturing his hands out towards Sasuke.

"Welp, I guess this is goodbye. Sasuke, I will always remember you fondly. Farewell, dear friend."

"Bye," he answered flatly, sitting down and closing the door behind him.

A knowing smile rested on his brother's lips, and dark circles rested under his eyes. Working thirty hours every week while going to law school had been no easy task for Itachi. It was rare not to see a look of deep fatigue on his face.

"So, you made a new friend today?"

Itachi seemed pleased. He'd worried about Sasuke for a while now. After the event that turned their worlds upside down, he had become very withdrawn and moody. It was nice to see him shake out of it.

"That guy? He's not a friend. He just won't stop following me."

Itachi shifted the car into drive, chuckling softly.

"It's interesting to see you talk to pretty much anyone new."

Sasuke scoffed, looking out of the passenger window.

"As if I had a choice in the matter…"

Itachi shook his head goodnaturedly.

"Whatever you say, Sasuke."


	2. Chapter 2

"Soup's on!"

He wasn't any more enthusiastic to be in that smelly kitchen this week than he was the last. The same routine, different day. And as per usual, Naruto had announced the beginning of Sasuke's sentence with his typically obnoxious salutation. At best, there would sometimes be the slightest change in his inflection. Sasuke's body had committed his movements to muscle memory, and he moved effortlessly.

"Ya miss me?"

Sasuke plunnked Naruto's soup into his bowl, looking up at Naruto reluctantly.

"Not particularly."

Naruto smirked, as if he thought Sasuke were only joking.

"Honesty is a virtue, Sasuke."

"Who's lying?"

Naruto scoffed, again grabbing his soup and waiting for the other diners to clear out. Again, the same kids screamed and laughed down the aisles, the same seniors gummed at their meals, and the same adults yammered on into the evening. And again, during clean up, that familiar nitwit approached Sasuke.

"You're not staying again, are you?"

He'd get straight to the chase. He didn't want this guy sticking around, and he wasn't afraid to let him know.

"Not like I have anything else to do with my time."

Sasuke growled.

"You're getting really annoying. If you're going to stay, at least stop chattering at me."

Naruto looked hurt by the statement, staring towards his feet. Sasuke had been expecting some kind of joke from Naruto and felt a little uncomfortable at his change in demeanor. However, he hid it well. The man next to Sasuke, serving the main entree, spoke up.

"Don't be rude, Sasuke. Naruto, we'd love your company."

Naruto shook his head through a forced smile, his feet dragging his reluctant body away. It looked like it just about killed him to leave.

"No, it's alright. I'll go."

Sasuke's coworker cast him a glare. Wasn't this the definition of reverse psychology? Why did he feel guilty? It wasn't like him to pity others. Then again, he didn't think that was what he was doing at the moment. He honestly had yet to figure it out.

"Don't sulk. I got to go home five minutes earlier last week because of you, so your company isn't altogether horrible."

This was the best he could do, in terms of compliments. It was a crummy one at that, which probably made it seem like Sasuke was just using Naruto to get off work early. Regardless, Naruto whipped around, his face bright.

"Really?"

"Don't get a big head about it. That was a 'thanks for helping', not a marriage proposal."

The smile broadened as Naruto raced to the water bucket and ripped a rag away, wiping at the tables sloppily as water dripped onto the floor.

"I bet I can save you ten minutes this time!"

A few of Sasuke's coworkers glanced over at Naruto, who was quite obviously only making a bigger mess. Why wasn't he just telling this kid to leave again? Right, the guilt trip. And here he thought that he was immune to those...

"Slow down, moron. You're just making it worse."

Naruto scratched the back of his head as he smiled sheepishly, only now noticing the small puddle of water on the ground.

"Ah… Right. Sorry."

His new "helper" slowed his movements, brows scrunched as he cleaned as meticulously as he could. Sasuke couldn't help but find that somewhat endearing, despite himself.

"So, Sasuke… Are you in high school?"

"Yeah, I'm a sophomore."

"I would be too, if I went to school."

Sasuke perked a brow.

"They don't make you?"

Naruto grinned mischievously.

"Nope. I slipped through the cracks."

He had an urge to call Naruto lucky but quickly rethought it. As much as he loathed school (and his classmates), he was grateful for the opportunities it afforded him. He wondered what awaited Naruto, without so much as a high school education or hardly a penny to his name. So he merely grunted in reply, not knowing how to respond.

"But I gotta say, high school looks pretty interesting. Other than that part about dissecting frogs and climbing up ropes and dinging a bell. Who knows what that frog might've become? He could've even had a family, and I really like frogs."

A pout was on Naruto's face now. Sasuke sighed, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn chunk of tomato sauce.

"High school isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"You don't like it?"

"I don't like the people there, and a lot of the stuff we learn is totally pointless."

At Naruto's disappointment, Sasuke sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"But I guess there are good parts too."

Naruto looked at Sasuke expectantly, like a child waiting for their parent to tell them a bedtime story.

"Like what?"

"Well, I really like my chemistry and anatomy classes. I want to be a doctor someday."

Naruto raised his brows, whistling.

"Impressive. You're one of the smart kids, aren't you? Even though you break people's noses, you seem like you'd be one of the smart ones."

Sasuke snickered, amused by the statement.

"Naturally. I learn quickly."

Naruto swatted his hand.

"That's the last time I compliment you! So conceited."

"So they tell me."

They had finished their work quickly. Sasuke was excused, waving at his supervisor before leaving the building. His supervisor smiled back, noticing that the gesture, as simple as it was, was considerably warmer than their prior interactions.

"So did I make it? Ten minutes early?"

Sasuke checked his cell phone.

"Yes, actually."

Sasuke sat down by the bench, since Itachi hadn't arrived yet. This wasn't surprising considering that he'd finished early. Naruto took a seat next to him, and Sasuke did not scoot away.

They conversed for the next hour, though perhaps this was more a soliloquy than a dialogue. However, Sasuke wasn't altogether unpleasant, at least acknowledging Naruto's questions with a response. Besides, Sasuke didn't have much to do either. As more time passed, Sasuke's responses grew shorter. He began to check his cell phone every minute or so, staring at the time compulsively.

"Don't be so impatient. Am I that horrible to talk to, or are you just missing the season finale of Desperate Housewives?"

"Hilarious."

He looked down at his phone again. Itachi was forty minutes late. Where was he? His brother was ordinarily so timely.

"Seriously, stop that. There's no rush, is there?"

"It's not that…"

Sasuke rested his forearms on his thighs, staring at the ground between his legs.

"Then what's got your feathers all ruffled, duckbutt?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto, though it lacked any real venom. He wished the kid would stop his nagging, but then again... Maybe his fears would lose some of their power once spoken.

"What if…something happened to him?"

Sasuke turned away, not wanting to see the expression on Naruto's face and not wanting Naruto to see the expression on his face. He hadn't wanted to say this, and it sounded stupid leaving his lips.

"Who, your brother?"

Sasuke nodded.

"He probably just got stuck in traffic or something."

Sasuke had heard that one before.

"It's been forty minutes, and he hasn't called."

"So? Stuff happens."

The Uchiha suspected that he was overreacting, perhaps fretting aimlessly. Anyone else in his situation would have perhaps been plagued by a vague worry, but would their heart be quickening like this? Would their forehead feel sweaty? Despite realizing this, he could not derail his thoughts.

"Yes, that's my point."

Sasuke picked up his cell phone, dialing Itachi's number. It went straight to voicemail. Sasuke roughly ended the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. Naruto sighed.

"Dude, you're being paranoid. People are late all the time."

Naruto was trying valiantly to reassure Sasuke, his tone light and calm.

"Yes, and accidents happen all the time. People get hurt all the time."

Sasuke's voice was quickly becoming agitated. Why was his mind doing this to him? Why was it making him remember what happened to his parents? The situation had not been much different from this one. He also waited that night, oblivious and unsuspecting. But he didn't want to get upset here. Not in front of this guy he'd only recently met.

"You're seriously bothered by this, aren't you?"

Naruto stared at Sasuke, who did his best to pretend that Naruto wasn't there.

"That's kind of weird."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"_You're_ calling _me_ weird?"

Naruto beamed.

"I sure am."

There was a pause between them.

"It must be nice… Having someone to pick you up."

Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, who had a weak smile on his face. Sasuke had been caught up in his own head, and only now did he stop to consider Naruto's situation. At least he still had Itachi. Apparently, Naruto had no one. Where would he go after Sasuke left?

"I suppose it is."

There was another silence between them, when Naruto chimed in with his typically cheerfully tone.

"Come on, worrying won't get him here any faster. Just focus on my amazing conversational skills."

Naruto waggled his brows, playfully jabbing Sasuke in the arm.

"Well, thanks for the serenade."

Despite the tone of his voice, he was only being partially sarcastic. Sasuke tried to focus on what Naruto was saying, even though the other came off awkward and clueless. He wanted it to distract him, and he was beginning to feel better. Something about how authentic the guy was, how youthfully innocent despite his situation… It reassured Sasuke. Finally, Itachi's car pulled up. A relieved smile unconsciously presented itself on Sasuke's face.

"Hate to say I tooold you so."

It was alright. Itachi was okay after all.

"Shut up, jackass."

He quickly walked towards Itachi's car.

"See ya next week."

"Yeah, next week."

Sasuke swung himself onto the passenger seat and shut the door.

"Where were you?"

Itachi shook his head.

"Sasuke, I'm so sorry. My professor kept me late."

"You could've at least called me. Something could've happened to you!"

Sasuke wasn't angry at Itachi. He knew the man was trying his best, but he had to get out that horrible tight feeling he'd had in his chest. Itachi's brows furrowed.

"My cell phone battery died. It's okay, Sasuke. I'm fine."

Sasuke sulked, staring out the window.

"I'm sorry…" Itachi offered.

The younger Uchiha sighed.

"It's not your fault. After Mom and Dad, I guess I just worry."

The sound of wheels on an untended road filled the car.

"I know. Me too."


	3. Chapter 3

Sasuke went about his weekdays in his normal practice. It was routine, dull. His suspension had just ended this Monday, which he was rather regretful of. Classmates whispered as he roamed through the halls, some staring discreetly (and others not so discreetly). He ignored them.

This particular afternoon, he sat at his school's lunch table with a small group of his friends. The cafeteria was loud and smelled strongly of pizza. Kabuto, a senior who had only been held back about three years, sat at the head of the table. Suigetsu sat towards Sasuke's left, with Karin's arm tangled around Suigetsu's left side. Suigetsu's bleach blond hair offered a harsh juxtaposition against Karin's brilliant shade of red, her brown eyes framed by some thickly rimmed black glasses. Juugo, the school's linebacker, sat on the opposite side. He had obviously gone through puberty very early, with bulky muscles and a height far above anyone else in their group.

"And I seriously fucked the guy up… Like he was cryin' and shit, but I was like, 'Hey, if you touch my girl, I will fucking break your jaw, got that?'"

Sasuke took a bite of his apple, paying Suigetsu's boasting no mind.

"And he called Karin a slut! Which she is, but still."

Karin punched Suigetsu's bicep, addressing him loudly and angrily, "I'm not a slut! I'm _liberated_."

Suigetsu disregarded the girl, pushing her arm out of the way.

"Shut up, slut!"

Karin's hand thudded upside Suigetsu's head.

"Stop it! Sasuke, make her stop! She'll listen to you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Apparently you made that gangbanger cry. Fending for yourself now should be no problem."

Suigetsu raised his brows, regarding Sasuke dryly.

"What, you want me to hit her?"

Karin actually looked nervous.

"Hit Karin, and you'll be the one crying," Juugo spoke up gruffly.

Suigetsu swatted at Juugo dismissively.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm not hittin' my fuckin' woman."

Kabuto interrupted.

"Will you all kindly shut the hell up? We need to talk some business."

Kabuto leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice.

"So, Sasori jacked his parents' meds. We got full bottles of Xanax, Valium, and Vicodin, just to name a few. He's looking to make some cash, but he needs some distributors. He said he'd give us half the profit."

"Hell yeah! I could use some spare change," Suigetsu agreed with a smirk.

"So," Kabuto began again, eyeing the other four students, "Are we all in?"

Sasuke interjected, "I'm out. I don't want to end up in juvie, and as you know, I'm on thin ice."

Kabuto chuckled, as if he were talking to a toddler who had just said something cute.

"Stop being such a tool."

"I don't need your approval, Kabuto."

Kabuto stared at Sasuke critically, their eyes locking. Sasuke stared back, and neither blinked. It annoyed Sasuke that Kabuto would even try to pressure him into something like that. He did not like being manipulated. Kabuto then leaned back with a twisted smile on his lips.

"Alright. Your loss, Uchiha."

"Aw, come on Sasuke!" Karin petitioned. "Let's do it together! Besides, you have a lot of power over the females here, if you know what I mean."

Karin gazed over at Sasuke flirtatiously, much to Suigetsu's disapproval.

"You heard my answer."

Juugo grumbled, "Give it a rest. He said he doesn't want to do it."

Karin huffed.

"Well fine."

The bell rang as Sasuke attempted to remind himself why he put up with these people. It was nice to have at least someone around, even if they were poor influences. And they'd had good times, he reasoned. It was just days like these when he wondered why he even bothered having friends to begin with.

For the most part, the rest of the week was as monotonous as ever. He crammed for a few tests, which he thought he did pretty well on. The one departure from routine was Wednesday night, when his brother took him out to Applebee's.

It was rare that Itachi had much time to spend with Sasuke. Whenever Itachi did have spare time, Sasuke restrained himself from approaching his brother too often so as not to become a pest. Thus, the outing had been the highlight of Sasuke's entire week. Itachi ordered a beer and cheeseburger, while Sasuke ordered a club sandwich. Itachi let Sasuke try his drink, which was a rather luxurious pilsner. And for perhaps the first time this week, Sasuke had given a balls out, deeply resonating laugh.

However, that night, he stayed up until sunlight studying for his third midterm this week. He knew that if he'd told Itachi that he had so much to do, Itachi would have never agreed to the outing. Thus, when he arrived at the soup kitchen on Thursday night, he had a conspicuously hoarse voice and shadows under his eyes.

This time, Sasuke was serving the main entree: a pasta dish with garlic bread. As expected, Naruto approached him again for his meal.

"Hi, Sasuke. You look like shit."

"Nice to see you too," Sasuke's voice cracked as he eyed Naruto sarcastically.

"Are you getting sick?"

He handed another diner his meal as Naruto stepped out of the way.

"No. And don't say that, or you'll scare the diners."

Naruto shook his head.

"Dude, I don't think they care. It's free eats."

Sasuke forked a meal over to the next denizen. Naruto left Sasuke to his job, promising to approach him after the rush had died down. At that point, he sauntered up to Sasuke, the same spacey smile on his lips as usual.

"So, what sort of week did you have?"

"Dull. Midterms."

Sasuke handed out a roll to one of the final lingering diners.

"Ah..."

Naruto glanced at Sasuke expectantly, and Sasuke cast him a questioning look.

"Aren't you gonna ask me how my week was?"

Sasuke reluctantly engaged the boy with a roll of the eyes.

"If you insist. How was your week?"

Naruto grinned back at him, taking a roll from Sasuke and handing it to a toddler who had decided to camp out by Naruto's feet.

"Dull, but they're almost always dull. A nice old lady did give me a ten dollar bill the other day. I'm not sure what day it was. I tend to forget stuff like that."

Sasuke coughed, wondering why Naruto would have wanted to be asked a question he had such a boring response to.

"Props."

Naruto grinned.

"Yup! It fed me all week."

"Hm."

He thought, momentarily, about what it would be like to only have ten dollars for a week's supply of food. No wonder Naruto was so thin. The kitchen closed, and all of the diners left with the exception of Naruto. The blond walked behind the counter, washing his hands and working on some of the dishes.

"Naruto..."

"Yeah?"

Sasuke watched the soap bubbles percolate upwards as he rubbed the bottom of a bowl. He didn't know why he was bothering to say what he was going to say.

"Why don't you just...turn yourself in? You're under eighteen, so the state's legally required to house you."

Sasuke cleared his throat, wondering if he was getting sick after all. Naruto shook his head.

"And end up in foster care again? Nuh uh. Been there, done that."

Sasuke perked a brow at Naruto, his tone skeptical and distanced.

"I have trouble believing that foster care could be any worse than this."

The blond frowned.

"That's because you've never been in foster care."

Sasuke refused to believe this. He'd known several people who had been in foster care, and while it wasn't exactly sunshine and roses, it seemed one hell of a lot better than a street corner. In fact, Sasuke had almost ended up there himself. But if Naruto insisted on putting himself through this, that was his own prerogative. Why did he even care?

"Whatever."

Naruto looked like he was ready to argue with Sasuke, visibly frustrated. However, he refrained himself. There was a tense silence as the two boys scrubbed adjacent tables. Sasuke didn't mind this, but Naruto was disturbed by it. His agitation with Sasuke died off quickly. The boy frequently opened his mouth to speak, but for once, he didn't know what to say.

"So... How long are you gonna work in the kitchen?"

"I have about six weeks left if I keep getting trash duty."

Naruto looked discouraged.

"I won't see you after that, will I?"

Sasuke snickered, cocking his head towards Naruto teasingly.

"Why? Got a crush on me?"

Naruto laughed.

"As if. You really are arrogant."

"Thought we'd established that."

"Feh. But you didn't answer my question."

Naruto shimmied his rag down the table top, stopping his movements temporarily to study Sasuke, who didn't falter.

"...Probably not."

Naruto seemed to all but sink into himself. Sasuke almost felt guilty about it, but then again, what was he supposed to do? Lie? They were a part of different worlds. There was no reason their paths would cross again.

"I guess I can't blame you," Naruto trailed. "You know... Considering."

Sasuke knit his brows, fully catching Naruto's implication. He wanted to say that it wasn't that, but to a large extent, it was. He had his doubts about hanging out with anyone new, let alone a homeless guy he met just a few weeks ago in a soup kitchen. Naruto was, after all, a bum. He passed them on his way to the bus stop almost every day, turning a blind eye as they requested some change or started mumbling disjointed nonsense. Still, Naruto wasn't like that. He was just Naruto.

"I'm not...ruling it out completely."

"Really?"

Naruto's attitude rebounded quickly, causing Sasuke to wonder if he was only leading Naruto on.

"I didn't say it would happen," he clarified, trying to manage any false hopes blossoming in the kid's head.

"But there's a chance?"

"I guess? We haven't exactly known each other that long."

"Right, right."

Naruto was smiling awkwardly. At that moment, he seemed very lonely to Sasuke. Sasuke's ringtone sounded - the intro to Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir."

"Hey Itachi... Alright, I'll be out... No, I don't mind McDonald's. ...Let's have this conversation in the car. Right, see you."

"Was that your brother?"

"Yeah," Sasuke answered, his tone distracted as he gathered his possessions.

"Does he always pick you up?"

"I have to go, Naruto."

He turned away, walking briskly towards the doors. Naruto called out after him.

"Okay. Well, see you next week then. Try not to miss me too much."

"That's my line."

"Bye, dickass."

Sasuke smirked at the rather cumbersome insult and walked out the door.

Author's Note:

Sunday's update, as promised. Stay tuned for next week.  
Review's appreciated! I'm a new writer, and it encourages me to write more. :)


	4. Chapter 4

The Metro smelled like mildew, and Sasuke glanced up at the bus route map several rows up. School had just gotten out for the weekend, and Sasuke and his friends had bussed over to the mall. Sasuke never understood what people saw in malls, at least as a place for socializing. People meandered and clustered like cattle, the music in the stores was horrible, and the merchandise was overpriced. He also harbored a desire to erase the question "Can I help you with anything?" from the English vocabulary. Another boring afternoon.

Karin dragged them all into Hot Topic, though Suigetsu was at least showing some interest in the merchandise. Some screamo band that Sasuke didn't recognize blared out of the speakers. Kabuto had excused himself to smoke a cigarette outside, and Juugo patiently followed Karin and Suigetsu. Sasuke had no interest in any of the stores, so he didn't mind joining them. Suigetsu nudged him.

"Deidara is throwing a party next Saturday."

Deidara and Kabuto were in the same year, though Deidara was younger by several years. Sasuke would see the two smoking cigarettes after school from time to time, along with a few of his other more distant acquaintances.

"I know. I was invited," he responded bluntly, his tone thoroughly disinterested.

"You should come! I'll be there," Karin urged.

The boy cocked a brow. Her persistence was unwelcome.

"Was that supposed to convince me?"

Karin pulled Sasuke's sleeve playfully.

"Sasukeee, stop teasing me! I know you don't mean that."

Sasuke cast Karin a glance that would've made her question that statement if she weren't waist-deep in denial.

"C'mon, man. They got booze, bud, and pills. It's gonna be fuckin' wild," Suigetsu added.

"Ignore Suigetsu. You don't have to do any of that. Just don't be such a recluse."

Juugo spoke this time. The gruff linebacker rarely talked, and it was even rarer for him to actually request something of someone. In fact, Sasuke had come to regard him as the most tolerable of their entire group. Maybe if Juugo was asking too...

It sounded like something that could potentially get him in trouble. But if he just stayed at Deidara's house before leaving and found a safe way home, he'd probably be fine.

"Alright, I'll go."

"Hell yeah!" Karin cheered, much too enthusiastically for Sasuke's tastes.

Suigetsu pointed to a new store across the way. It was fringy and a little "alternative," but almost luxurious.

"Let's head over to Black Angel."

It actually didn't look half bad, but one look at the price tag of a random jacket made it clear to Sasuke that he wouldn't be buying anything here. Honestly, who paid $150 for a hoodie?

Still, he browsed the selection, finally encountering a silver necklace. The serpent at its bottom laced between the eyes of a skull, and the metal was thick and sturdy. This was probably the only merchandise he'd seen all day that he would actually contemplate buying... That is, if it weren't $40. This really was just becoming another boring Friday.

Sasuke glanced to his right, appearing disinterested. He didn't see any salespeople. The only security device on the necklace appeared to be a round silver sticker. Sasuke had never shoplifted before. It wasn't that he even cared that much about the necklace. He just wondered if he could pull it off. Just this once.

He ripped the sticker off with his thumb and pointer finger, scrunching it up into a tiny ball between them and inconspicuously dropping it on the floor. He knew this was crazy. A stunt like this could land him in juvie. It could even ruin his chances at a decent college. What was he doing?

But it had been just like this the day he had viciously bloodied his classmate in front of his shocked professor and peers. He liked feeling this way. It was electric, exciting, raw... It freed him, if only temporarily, from that grey sludge of apathy that he normally existed in. That moment's reprieve was worth it. His breath shallow and his body energetic, he could now honestly say he was having fun.

As he pretended to hang the necklace up with the rest, he allowed it to slip down his sleeve at the last instant. The motion was obscured with his forearm. If there were any cameras, he hoped that this would fool them. He continued to look around at some of the other merchandise so as not to seem suspicious. A clerk, a woman who was probably in her 30's, approached him.

"Can I help you?"

Again. Predictable. But... Did she know?

"No thanks. I'm just browsing."

"Well, our jeans are all 25% off, and our jewelry is buy one get one 50% off. Let me know if you have any questions."

She mentioned the jewelry? No, he was just being paranoid.

"Thanks."

The exchange had given Sasuke second thoughts. It was entirely possible that this had been coincidental. He'd had essentially that same conversation a good two or three times today. He had to keep his cool. He couldn't get shifty eyed here. It was time to make a decision. Either put the jewelry away or walk out the door.

He pivoted, approaching the exit. His hands felt cold and damp. He kept his pace steady - neither too fast nor too slow. The security censors were right in front of him. The sticker was the only security device, right? He'd felt the cardboard the necklace had hung by, and it had been glued together by the manufacturer. There was no way they could slip a censor in there, he hoped. He had to stop thinking about this, killing his thoughts to convey a neutral demeanor. He held his breath for just an instant.

He cleared the door. Silence.

He'd made it.

He continued to walk, when Suigetsu spotted Sasuke leaving. He quickly walked up to Sasuke, Karin following closely. Juugo trudged behind the two, and Kabuto had finally come back from his smoke break.

"Shit man, everything there is expensive as all hell."

"Ridiculously," Sasuke huffed.

Sasuke made a quick move to slide the necklace out of his sleeve and into his back pocket, which did not go unnoticed by Suigetsu.

"Dude! Did you...steal that?"

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped.

Suigetsu's voice had been far too loud for such a statement. How someone could have so little discretion was beyond Sasuke.

"How much was it?" Karin asked.

He didn't want to answer these questions. He just wanted to stuff the merchandise in his pocket and be done with it.

"About forty."

Suigetsu laughed.

"See! This is why I like this guy."

Why were his friends drawing so much attention to this? It was as if they viewed it as an accomplishment, and each time he was praised, it unsettled him. It made him no longer feel like the one good kid in a group of miscreants. He was on his way to becoming one of them.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You like me because I steal necklaces?"

Sasuke gestured wildly, his eyes large.

"Yeah! You're crazy, man! Like you'd break a guy's nose right in front of our history teacher. Intense as fuck."

"Suigetsu, your obsession with me borders on hero worship. Frankly, I find it disturbing."

"Aw, you're just saying that," Suigetsu attested before elbowing Karin and adding in a whisper, "That's just his way."

"I never knew you shoplifted, Sasuke. To be honest, you seemed like a pussy to me."

It was Kabuto, this time, in that same snide voice he seemed to use all the time.

"You guys weren't even supposed to know. Stop talking about it."

He didn't intend on making a habit out of this. And he certainly didn't want to create this sort of reputation for himself. He generally prided himself on being an honest guy. Even though he'd gotten away with it, he was beginning to regret his decision already.

Suigetsu narrowed his eyes at Sasuke.

"Fiiine, Mr. Mysterious."

The rest of the trip was just as Sasuke had predicted it. They went to a few stores, stared at objects Sasuke had no interest in, and were approached by several classmates. Kabuto always seemed to follow Sasuke and Juugo closely, while Suigetsu and Karin spastically zipped from distraction to distraction. Sasuke wished Kabuto would just walk ahead of them. Something about the guy tended to make him uncomfortable.

Finally, Kabuto was occupied by a small scale at a department store. The box broadcasted that it weighed down to the nearest hundredth of a gram, and Sasuke was pretty sure he knew why Kabuto was interested in it. Karin and Suigetsu were fascinated by a food sealer demonstration video. Meanwhile, Juugo shifted over to Sasuke.

"Hey, Sasuke..." he muttered.

Juugo was angled to Sasuke's right, just barely behind him. Sasuke tilted his head backwards as he addressed Juugo.

"Hm?"

"Be careful."

Sasuke's eyes fell to the ground, feeling a little ashamed. He knew Juugo had a point. What _was_ he doing, anyway?

"Yeah..."

Juugo smiled at Sasuke, perhaps as an affirmation that he wasn't scolding him, or that he wasn't disappointed in him. Sasuke cast a shallow smile back.

AN: Again, reviews highly appreciated. :)

You may miss your lovable little hobo after this chapter, but next week is all about him and Sasuke.

See you next Sunday!


	5. Chapter 5, Part 1

To LovelySpiral, Bridmatt, roboguy, lo, shia, sanz0girl, TKM, Lurvirs, Edna, Veraison, Akira, jogproof, and all other random anons: Thank you so much for your comments! I really appreciate them, and they've been a pleasure to read.

Also, thank you to everyone who has favorited or followed my story.

Chapter 5 is a two-part chapter, so you get 2 in 1 this week. Enjoy. :)

* * *

Sasuke jabbed the twentieth candy wrapper that day with his pickup stick and flicked it into his bag. This was his first time doing trash duty in the park. The past several weeks, he'd always opted to work at the beach. The scenery was nice, and the ocean offered a pleasant breeze. But apparently there was already a surplus of volunteers for the beach this week, so he'd gotten stuck at the park by default.

He'd gone here all the time as a child, usually accompanied by his mother. His father had always been too busy to take Sasuke. The grounds made him some odd mixture of nostalgic, mournful, and comforted. The park was enormous, and it smelled strongly of grass. There was a playground, a well-maintained trail, a basketball court, tennis courts, and a small skate ramp. Now, if only they could invest in a few more trash bins. On the bright side, he'd get plenty of hours out of this.

The air was warm and sticky, at least by California standards. It had been wise of him to wear a tank top and shorts. Sasuke rubbed away the sweat on his neck, frustrated that an October day would be so uncomfortable. This was a shitty way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

He blasted his iPod, rock music just barely audible to any bystanders. Now that he'd gotten the basketball and tennis courts out of the way, he approached the trail. This was by far the most laborious part. A small Corgi ran up to Sasuke, excitedly pouncing on his legs. Wondering where its owner was, Sasuke unsuccessfully attempted to sidestep the dog. He continued down the path for several minutes, shooing the dog away from time to time. Finally giving up, he bent down to scratch the dog behind its ear.

"You're never going to leave me alone, are you?"

The dog stared back at him unwittingly. Sasuke groaned and started down the trail, the dog at his heels. He finally ran across the first of many bathrooms. He noticed a body curled up against where the concrete wall framed the walkway to the bathroom. He hadn't remembered bums here before, so he curiously glanced over, noticing a vibrant shock of blond hair. The body roused, and he made out a dirty cheek with familiar scars.

It was an odd coincidence that he found Naruto here. He wondered if he should alert him of his presence, working around him as he speared an empty water bottle. He didn't mind Naruto being around, but once Naruto was aware of him, there would probably be no shaking him.

However, his new canine friend made his decision for him as he barked loudly. The dog ran over to Naruto's face and licked his cheek. Naruto turned over, grunting and struggling to stay asleep. The dog promptly decided to change his approach, running up on Naruto's back and humping it.

Sasuke stood back, a look of confusion and mild disgust on his face as he stood ambivalently, holding his bag and pick. Naruto quickly flipped over and pushed the dog away.

"UGH! Not again!"

Sasuke blinked.

"Uh... Alright then, I'm going to walk away now."

It took an instant for Naruto to fully orient himself, quickly scanning his surroundings for the source of the familiar voice.

"Sasuke! Wait! What're you doing here? How long were you watching me sleep?"

The Uchiha tugged down on the cord over his chest, pulling out both earbuds. The Sublime song was just loud enough for Naruto to overhear. Naruto raised his head, a cowlick on the left side and a nasty bedhead. He was wearing the same blue jeans he wore the day he met Sasuke with a grass-stained white tank top. This was the first time Sasuke had seen Naruto in anything more revealing than an oversized T-shirt. Sasuke frowned as he noticed how unhealthily thin Naruto was, his elbows and shoulders protruding outwards. Naruto paused, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Sasuke suspiciously.

"Are you stalking me?"

Sasuke scoffed, taking a step backwards.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

"Sasuke..." Naruto responded flatly. "I live here."

"...Oh," Sasuke answered, somewhat awkwardly.

It made sense, really. A bed of grass seemed a lot more comfortable and less depressing than sleeping on concrete under a bridge or something - plus there were bathrooms. He glanced around, noting that Naruto had shoved most of his belongings far beneath a nearby bush. There was a curled up sleeping bag and a large black trash bag full of some rather oddly shaped objects.

"What's that stick for? Gonna spear some koi in the river? Catch us some supper like the rugged nature boy you are?"

Naruto grinned mischievously at Sasuke, who appeared entirely unappreciative of the boy's vivid imagination. He swung the trash bag out from behind his calves.

"I'm on trash duty."

"No way! We just keep on running into each other. Did you always do trash here? Maybe we just missed each other."

Naruto must have been living here for a while. He had no idea how homeless people decided where to live. Did people just stay in the same place? Did they move? How often?

"I've just been on the beach. But they didn't need me there today, so I chose the park instead."

"Well, now that you and your friend have woken me up, I think it's your responsibility to entertain me."

Naruto stood up, dusting the grass off of his pants and shirt.

"I expected you to say something like that."

Naruto was either being clingy, or Sasuke was being distant. Sasuke decided it was both. But coming from this guy, it was somehow more tolerable.

"Come on, lemme help you out again."

Sasuke sighed.

"They just dock how many hours I'm here from my total. It doesn't matter if I finish earlier or later."

Naruto frowned sharply, and if Sasuke didn't know any better, Naruto was trying to pull off the whole "sad puppy" routine. Some emaciated kid living beside a public park restroom and wearing barely intact clothing was giving him sad puppy eyes. This was the worst possible combination, and the asshole probably knew it too. Was it even possible to look more pitiful?

"Jesus Christ..." Sasuke griped. "Fine, you can come."

His mind games complete, Naruto's enthusiasm was obvious. The hyperactive canine darted over to Naruto, thrilled to find a new companion. He jumped frantically at Naruto's knees.

"So this is your dog? He's so cute! What's his name?"

"It's not my dog. It's just taken an interest in me," Sasuke smirked, "and evidently you too."

Naruto squatted so that he was at the dog's level, looking at its bone-shaped collar, which had only one line of writing.

"It says his name is Clover."

"Okay?"

Sasuke could not be arsed to care, and Naruto shot Sasuke a cross look.

"Rude! I'm sorry, Clover. You'll have to excuse my friend here. He has horrible manners, but he means well. And I'll have you know that I forgive you for your little indiscretion earlier."

The dog smiled back vacantly. Sasuke crossed his arms, hoping that Naruto would finish soon. Naruto balanced his chin on his thumb and second finger, obviously considering something. He grabbed the tip of the dog's ears, fully extending them outwards.

"Da nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh, Batdog!"

Sasuke put his hand up to his face, shaking his head. Naruto's voice was louder than he'd perhaps realized. Several people glanced over at them, a couple of

which laughed and turned away.

"Naruto, shut up."

The dog licked Naruto's nose.

"BATDOG!"

Quite a few more people were staring now. He wondered if they would've looked at them the same way if any other kid did this. Any _normal _kid, that is.

"Shut up!"

The exasperation in Sasuke's voice caused Naruto to glance up. Sasuke had subconsciously angled away from the onlookers, staring in the opposite direction. Naruto noticed Sasuke's posture, the staring strangers... His gaze fell to his hands.

"You're embarrassed of me, aren't you?"

Sasuke paused, swallowing hard. He felt exposed, like Naruto had seen through him completely.

"Of course I am. You're an idiot."

Naruto didn't seem particularly reassured by that, and Sasuke supposed that he couldn't blame him. He followed Sasuke, quietly grabbing trash off the ground and throwing it in Sasuke's bag. A thick layer of grime was accumulating on his rough palms.

"Stop that. You're getting your hands dirty."

"But I have to help you."

Sasuke sighed, offering his bag to Naruto.

"Here, just hold the bag, and I'll put the trash into it."

Naruto's lips pursed as he eyed Sasuke's trash pick curiously.

"Why don't you hold the bag instead? I want to use the stick."

"Should I really be trusting you with sharp objects?"

Regardless, Sasuke handed it to Naruto. He angrily stabbed at a soda can, which shot away. He now tried to use the stick as a javelin and again encountered failure. The third time, slow and steady, he hit it head on, triumphantly shaking it into Sasuke's bag. After getting that out of his system, Naruto decided to be a bit more conventional.

Sasuke's arm wiped the sweat on his forehead. While Naruto did not seem as dejected as he was a few moments ago, Sasuke could tell that he wasn't over it. Since requesting to use the stick, he hadn't spoken a word. It was then that Sasuke noticed an ice cream cart.

He glanced at Naruto, who probably had yet to eat today. It wasn't that he'd hurt some kid's feelings, so he was buying him ice cream now because he felt bad. It was nothing like that. He just didn't like people sulking around him. (Or maybe, especially Naruto sulking.) It was annoying.

"I'm hot. Let's take a break and get some ice cream."

"I'd join you if I had the funds, but..."

Sasuke grunted.

"It's fine. I have some spare change."

Naruto dropped the stick, and Sasuke had yet to see so much of the whites of Naruto's eyes. Perhaps it wasn't just the ice cream (though knowing Naruto, that was probably a large part of it). Maybe it was just the fact that the guy he'd been hounding for weeks on end was finally doing something nice for him, showing some interest. It was a start, if anything.

"You're buying me ice cream in the park?! How romantic!"

Sasuke swatted Naruto away.

"Don't be so creepy. And only if you wash your filthy hands."

"Fine, _Mom_."

Naruto scattered off towards the restrooms, Clover following at his heels and immediately catching on to his enthusiasm. Sasuke strolled in behind them. Naruto frantically splashed his hands in the water, using his elbow to hold the faucet down as he scrubbed his hands with soap. As Sasuke used a machine to blow his hands dry, Naruto waited impatiently. The instant the machine stopped, he tugged a resistant Sasuke by the elbow.

"Christ, slow down. It's not going anywhere."

"I haven't had ice cream in almost a year. I love that shit!"

Naruto was looking forward, unaware of the fact that Sasuke was staring at him. If Naruto had so much as tilted his head, Sasuke would've looked away. Naruto's teeth were showing fully, his eyes almost closed shut as his smile seemed to engulf his entire face. Sasuke had yet to see him so happy, and he found himself smiling as well.


	6. Chapter 5, Part 2

At Naruto's request, Sasuke ordered him a chocolate dipped ice cream cone, while Sasuke bought himself some lemon Italian ice. Naruto waited for Sasuke at the small bench. It was just big enough to fit the two of them, and Naruto extended his leg to save Sasuke a seat. He joined Naruto, a few inches between them as they enjoyed their treats, Clover lying down on Naruto's feet. They looked rather odd in contrast to his baggy blue jeans, simple dollar flip flop thongs peaking out.

Sasuke's ice was still hard, presenting somewhat of a challenge as it offered resistance against his cheap plastic spoon. Why they gave him two spoons was beyond Sasuke. He wondered if it had something to do with the shoddy utensils breaking.

Naruto ravenously chomped into his eye cream, chocolate shell crumbling down his chin as he used to tongue to quickly warm up his sensitive teeth. He used one of the napkins that Sasuke had brought back to the bench and dabbed his face clean.

"Oh sweeet baby Jesus, this is good. Sasuke, man... I think I just might be in love with you for leading me into this spiritual experience. You're a fuckin' divine messenger, bright lights of glory and horses and chariots and shit."

Sasuke chiseled at the lemon ice, only now getting his spoon about one third full.

"If I was sent by God, I must really be making a mess of things for him."

Naruto shook his head, swinging his legs playfully as Clover switched over to Sasuke's feet.

"You're a good guy, Sasuke. I can tell. Why else do you think I'm always pestering you?"

Sasuke grunted. He seriously had his doubts about that statement. He hadn't exactly been behaving lately. His friends sold and used drugs and were into stealing, vandalism, and random acts of violence. Sasuke seemed to always be getting into fights these days, and he'd shoplifted his first time not even 24 hours ago. He was risking his future and bringing hardship on his brother, who had sacrificed so much for him. Yet he continued to make these poor decisions, even though they raised questions in his mind about the strength of his character.

Sasuke held his spoon in his mouth as the tart ice dissolved. It was good. It wasn't obnoxiously sweet, but it also wasn't bitter or too sour. He allowed this to distract himself from the din of his thoughts.

"How's your ice, Sasuke?"

Naruto was staring at the small bowl so longingly that he might as well have licked his lips.

"Find out for yourself."

Naruto beamed as Sasuke gave him his spare spoon, genuinely appreciating the gesture. Naruto stabbed at the ice, taking it into his mouth. He looked surprised.

"This is really good! But I still like mine better."

Returning the spoon to Sasuke, he took another lick of his cone.

"Wanna try?"

Sasuke leaned towards Naruto but paused for a moment. He wasn't the type to eat after someone, let alone someone like Naruto. But he was quickly coming to think of Naruto in terms of Naruto rather than in terms of "someone _like _Naruto." Naruto wasn't just some vagrant. He was quickly on the way to becoming Sasuke's friend.

Their thighs now touched as Sasuke leaned over Naruto's torso, his head directly in front of his chest. His tongue flattened against the cold vanilla in a long stroke. Naruto could smell Sasuke's shampoo, which was just slightly musky. The blond hurriedly sent his eyes back upward, ashamed of the thoughts that Sasuke put through his head. But was it really his fault when Sasuke was doing something so implicitly sexual? It wasn't that he had an attraction to Sasuke in particular, but Sasuke was a pretty good-looking guy.

Sasuke licked his lips slowly, which Naruto tried to ignore.

"Not bad, but I like mine better."

Naruto playfully bumped his shoulder against Sasuke's.

"Good, because I would fight you to the death over this ice cream cone."

Leaning back against the bench, Sasuke rested his ankle over his thigh, above his knee.

"I don't think that would end very well for you."

"Not if I used my ninja skills on you."

Sasuke raised a brow.

"Which entail what exactly?"

"Hah! You think I'd tell you that? Can't have you stealin' my mojo, man."

"Whatever _that _is."

The two shared a comfortable silence, watching the dogs in the large green expanse ahead of them run, catching frisbees, racing each other, sniffing the trees... A few grade school girls chased each other, falling into the grass and laughing. A son ran away from his mother, who had loudly and angrily counted to ten and was now threatening his television privileges.

It was then that Sasuke and Naruto saw a short-haired Dachshund leaping straight into the air and snapping its teeth. Naruto counted a dozen back to back jumps until he commented.

"'M'sorry, but what the hell is that dog doing?"

Sasuke's ice becoming comfortably slushy now, he took a large spoonful.

"No idea. Probably dropped as a puppy."

Naruto laughed, finishing up the last of his ice cream cone.

"Iiiiit's Mongopup!"

The Uchiha shook his head, apparently full of disapproval.

"Wow, that's really offensive. My grandfather was a mongoloid... Well, I guess he was my uncle too."  
Naruto paused before he answered, appearing very confused as his mouth hung agape.

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that. ...I guess."

Sasuke chuckled, his mouth just barely open. He hadn't expected Naruto to actually believe such a bullshit story, but it seemed that he had underestimated the extent of his gullibility. Then again, thanks to his ordinarily serious demeanor, Sasuke had always been excellent at fooling people.

"I'm just fucking with you."

Naruto laughed along with Sasuke.

"You're such a dick, you know that?"

Sasuke's laughter had quelled, but there was still a smile on his face.

"So gullible..."

Naruto turned to Sasuke, grinning at him warmly.

"You know, I like you when you're like this."

Sasuke arched a brow.

"You mean when I'm insulting you?"

"No, smartass. When you're smiling, laughing... You look like you finally got around to taking that gargantuan stick out of your ass."

Sasuke scoffed, leaning his head to his right to stretch out a knot in his neck.

"A stick in my ass? Because I'm not a spazzoid like you?"

The Dachshund's owner threw a tennis ball out for him to fetch. Caught up in its enthusiasm, the dog charged off and stumbled over its stumpy front legs, doing a rather demented somersault. Naruto tsk'd.

"Poor little weiner dog. Its legs are just too short."

Sasuke shrugged.

"This is what you get when humanity disregards natural selection: Dachshunds, hairless cats, and the Kardashians."

Naruto chuckled, and Sasuke finally finished his lemon ice. Naruto's ice cream cone had been long gone.

"I've got to take a piss. Wait up for me."

Clover zipped off after Sasuke stood, careening into the Dachshund. Sasuke didn't take long, but when he returned, a portly cop with a buzzcut and a forest green uniform was talking to Naruto, standing a couple feet in front of him with his spiral notebook out. Naruto was shifting from foot to foot, scratching the back of his head sheepishly with that dopey grin on his face. Sasuke walked up several feet behind the cop, standing close enough to overhear their conversation and involve himself if necessary. What the hell did Naruto get himself into now...

"Where's your ice cream then?"

Naruto seemed to be exerting some serious effort to keep attitude out of his voice when he responded, "I finished it."

"Where are your parents right now?"

Naruto's eyes darted dramatically, and his right arm grasped his tank top tightly, fumbling with the fabric.

"They're over there..."

Naruto pointed to a jungle gym that held just one or two grade schoolers.

"I mean they're over there!"

This time he'd pointed to a barren hill. The cop cleared his throat, crossing his arms and shifting to his other foot. Naruto was thoroughly flustered.

"Where do you live?"

Naruto's face looked nothing short of terrified. This was his cue. God, how did Naruto even last this long on his own? He was absolutely clueless. Sasuke approached Naruto from the side, changing his angle so that the cop wouldn't realize he'd been standing behind him all this time.

"I see you've met my brother. Can we help you with anything?"

The policeman cocked his head skeptically, taking in Sasuke's well-kempt appearance and then looking back at Naruto. Fortunately, the shock on Naruto's face had disappeared by then.

"You're tellin' me you two are brothers?"

Perhaps not the most believable alibi. Sasuke snickered.

"Half-brothers. I hope he didn't give you trouble. He flusters around authority figures and isn't too bright. Not from my end of the genepool."

The man seemed to find that amusing, laughing obnoxiously.

"You're funny, boy. Alright kids, stay out of trouble."

He licked his lip, pointing at Naruto with a fat index finger.

"And you, get some new clothes, will ya?"

The cop graciously waddled off. Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was frustrated that someone would speak to Naruto this way. That cop was treating Naruto like he committed some sort of crime. Wasn't life hard enough for someone like Naruto without some asshole cop giving him a hard time?

"God, what a dick," he fumed.

His eyes widened as he felt an impact from his side, his entire body tensing up. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's body, hugging him tightly.

"What are you doing?"

Naruto spoke into Sasuke's chest.

"Thank you. I didn't want to leave the park. I like it here."

Sasuke's body relaxed, and his lips upturned. It seemed that it had been a long time since he had done something that he really felt good about.

"I couldn't just let you get evicted, could I? Now let go of me."

"Evicted?"

Naruto scrunched his lips up and squinted his left eye, releasing Sasuke.

He snorted, "I guess that's one way to put it, _bro_."

Sasuke let out a grunt, grabbing his pick and bag again.

"Don't start with this."

If anything, that appeared to provoke Naruto, who grinned slyly.

"Look at us! We're around the same age. We could be twins."

Sasuke crossed his arms.

"Are you blind?"

Naruto shook his head enthusiastically, his cowlick bouncing as he did so.

"No, you couldn't be much older than me! How old are you?"

Sasuke stared at Naruto for a moment, wondering how he could possibly be so unwitting. Their builds and complexions opposed each other, and there was no way the two of them could hail from the same gene pool. He decided to give Naruto a proper response regardless.

"Fifteen."

Naruto threw up his arms.

"Me too! But not for much longer. I turn sixteen on October 10. That's a Monday, right?"

"No, it's Tuesday. You doing anything for it?"

Naruto shot Sasuke back the same look the raven had given him just seconds ago.

"Sasuke, what would I do?"

The younger of the two clenched his teeth. He'd never given a damn about birthdays. It was just another day. The whole concept was a result of a human convention based on an arbitrary astronomical event. But other people seemed to care about them, and even Sasuke was a little eager for his sixteenth birthday. To spend the day in some random park completely alone, begging for food... That just seemed depressing.

"You could always go somewhere with me."

Sasuke looked off, apparently now finding a random tree worthy of intense analysis. Naruto was silent. When he turned back to Naruto, he was wearing that same wide-toothed grin he wore when Sasuke paid for his ice cream.

"Get that look off your face. It's creeping me out."

Naruto closed his mouth, doing his best to keep his smile modest.

"I'm sorry, it's just... It's not often that anyone would go out of their way to see _me_."

Sasuke paused, his mouth slightly ajar. The statement made him feel a little uncomfortable, but at the same time, it made him glad that he'd offered. It seemed to mean far more to Naruto than he had expected. Sasuke inwardly groaned. The guy was like a puppy.

"Like I said earlier, I suppose you're not altogether intolerable."


	7. Chapter 6

Juugo flipped the radio over to the neighboring town's oldies rock station, enduring the slight static in exchange for some ear candy in the form of "Hair of the Dog." Karin and Suigetsu were creating a racket in the backseat, bouncing as Juugo's blue Chevy pickup rolled over a pothole. Karin was wearing a loose tank top with a short miniskirt, which seemed to go along with Suigetsu's sports jersey and saggy jeans. They were just a bit too hyped about Deidara's party, and they'd ambitiously started drinking their parents' liquor before they'd even arrived.

Sasuke was riding shotgun, his elbow rested on the open window as the brisk night air whipped his arm and cheek. Since his afternoon in the park, he'd had just enough time to shower and change into a maroon V-neck with tight navy denim, his recently acquired necklace resting a few inches below his collarbone. A Camel wide drooped between his fingers. He took a long drag before flicking the ashes out the window.

Sasuke wasn't much of a smoker. First of all, they were expensive, and second of all, the concept of an iron lung held no appeal for him. But he enjoyed them on nights like these, the heat of the cigarette contrasting with the chill air. When he got the urge, he'd just bum one from Juugo, who had turned eighteen earlier that year.

In this case, he'd need that buzz to cope with Karin and Suigetsu's antics. Juugo and Sasuke sat silently, as they usually did when they drove together. Whenever the backseat occupants said something particularly stupid, Juugo would sigh, look at Sasuke, and shake his head. And Sasuke would snicker and take another drag.

Suigetsu sang along with the radio, loud and off-tune.

"Now you're messin' with..."

Karin glanced over at Suigetsu excitedly as they both shouted, "A SON OF A BITCH!", collapsing into a fit of giggles.

Sasuke kneaded his temple, turning around and glaring at the two.

"Both of you stop singing so damned loud, or I'm changing the song."

Suigetsu pouted, kicking the back of Sasuke's seat.

"You're no fun, bro."

Sasuke turned around, deciding that it wasn't worth it and holding his tongue. Karin and Suigetsu did quiet down a little, which was good enough for him.

Finally, they arrived at Deidara's house, a contemporary two-story on the richer side of town. They heard the rap music pounding through his speakers before even turning the corner. Deidara's garage and driveway were congested with cars, so Juugo found street parking farther down the block.

Suigetsu and Karin left the car the instant it had stopped, and Juugo and Sasuke followed closely behind. Deidara opened the door. The foyer was empty but offered a view into house's main room. One couldn't see more than several feet into it due to the dense mass of bodies inside.

"Deidara! Man, what is up?"

Suigetsu and Deidara bumped chests as Deidara motioned him and Karin back. Juugo waved at Deidara, who smiled and cocked a nod in return. Sasuke attempted to do the same but was quickly stopped.

"Uchiha! Where the fuck have you been? You ditching school or something."

Deidara was yelling over the music. Sasuke shook his head, remembering that he hadn't run into Deidara this week.

"Suspended."

A look of realization dawned on Deidara's face.

"Oh, right! Dude, I never liked that Sai guy anyway. Total dick. That was fuckin' tight, man."

Sasuke nodded, obligatorily returning Deidara's high five. Deidara was likely too buzzed to notice Sasuke's lack of enthusiasm. It seemed that by the class period after the fight, the entire school miraculously knew what happened. That was high school, he supposed. He was getting sick of all this praise. Of course, it wasn't all praise. The rowdier groups thought Sasuke was intense and bold. The neater crowds thought he was dangerous and a loose cannon.

And Sai's friends thought a few of Sasuke's bones should be broken as well. However, they were too afraid to come near him when he had friends like Juugo and Kabuto. Kabuto was unpredictable and had connections that no one at their school really understood, and Juugo could probably land someone in the hospital with one punch.

It wasn't that Sasuke was regretful. He'd never gotten along well with Sai. He didn't feel guilty or ashamed. He just didn't see what the big deal was, why it had to evolve into some machismo-centric quest for dominance in the eyes of his classmates. He'd just been really fucking pissed; it was that simple.

Deidara closed the door behind them, the house warm from body heat and smelling strongly of marijuana. A group of about ten sat on or around the couch, sharing a rather expensive looking bong. The bright lights from the ceiling were obscured by heavy smoke. A bunch of people were in the pool, and a couple was making out on a beach chair, which Sasuke politely ignored. Most of the people at this party were seniors. In fact, it was entirely possible that Sasuke was the youngest one there. Some of the people he didn't recognize, and many looked like they were in their young twenties.

Sasuke was immediately sideswiped by a senior with long blond hair and a formidable amount of cleavage. He didn't remember her name, but he'd seen her when the seniors would come in after his English 10 Honors class had finished to wait for English 12 to start. Apparently she had also "seen him around." She started to talk to him in a slurred voice about feminism and how great of a person she was because she was open-minded enough to support having multiple sex partners.

Sasuke knew what she was getting at when the girl put her hand on his shoulder, slowly dragging it down his arm as she licked her teeth. He didn't know why he agreed to come to this party. They were all the same. The people there were generally either pretentious, shitfaced, insecure, testosterone-driven, stupid, horny, or some ungodly medley of all of the above. But sometimes even that was preferable to spending lonely nights in an empty house.

He looked around for his friends and saw Suigetsu hitting the bong, Karin in his lap kissing up and down his neck. Juugo was by the beer, chatting it up with Deidara and Kabuto. There was only one way he could get through this party and keep his sanity intact. Two girls had started kissing in the kitchen, and people were cheering and hooting.

"Look at that."

Sasuke pointed to the scene, distracting his conversational partner from her lusty thoughts.

"Holy shit!"

She laughed, moving towards the activity. His plan successful, Sasuke slid around some dancers and navigated over to Juugo. Kabuto and Sasuke exchanged a nod, as they'd said nothing to each other all evening.

Juugo smiled at Sasuke.

"Got caught up, huh?"

Sasuke grumbled, grabbing a 211 and popping the cap. He took a long swallow. It was a cheap beer, and the taste was a little acrid, but its relatively high alcohol content would do the job.

"HOLY TITS, he fucked him with a mop! Now it smells like yak piss up in this bitch!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, disregarding the out of context shouts emanating from the kitchen. For such reasons, he prefered to stay with Juugo and Kabuto. The two were quiet and didn't say anything particularly stupid. For the most part, he could calmly nurse his beer without people hanging over him or trying to get him to dance or sing with them. People continued to approach him, of course. He'd been asked to join the bong circle about five different times.

As he continued to drink, the people became less and less obnoxious. He was enjoying the atmosphere, a fuzzy warmth on his cheeks and chest. The beer started to taste better. He even laughed at a few of the more clever quips. In fact, after two tall cans of 211 and a shot of gin, he found that perhaps this party wasn't such a nightmare after all.

Sasuke drank sometimes, but rarely did he drink much. He'd only been seriously drunk once before in his life, and it had not been a pleasant experience. He had originally decided to stick to one beer, but when he found that he was enjoying himself, he didn't want to stop. This feeling was rare for him. He felt the way he used to when he was younger, participating in social situations without an inner cynic constantly reminding him how pointless and stupid it all was.

Sasuke was now pretty heavily buzzed. His speech was coherent, but he'd become more animated, and his mouth had become dirtier. While nowhere near as enthusiastic as the other partygoers, he smiled from time to time and even laughed when appropriate. He'd been making small talk with a brown-eyed girl with unnaturally red hair and a lip ring for some time now. She had been the one to approach him, introducing herself as Tayuya.

"So what the fuck are you doing here? Aren't you a sophomore or something?"

"Tch. Yeah, I'm a sophomore. The fuck's it to you?"

Tayuya smirked, amused by Sasuke's insolence.

"You're practically a fuckin' kid, man. You don't look it though."

"I'm not sure if I should be taking that as a compliment or not, but I have no doubts I can keep up with you."

Tayuya laughed sardonically.

"Is that so? Don't know if you're a boy or a man..."

Tayuya leaned into Sasuke, smelling strongly of weed. She placed her hand against his chest, feeling his pecs and abs. Sasuke tensed, a little frustrated that someone was rubbing on him again.

"You're certainly _built_ like a man."

He didn't move away.

"You don't have to tell _me_ that."

She raised her eyebrows at him mockingly.

"Well, look who's got an ego."

Her feet fumbled slightly as she moved closer to Sasuke, her chest lightly touching his.

"You know, I don't normally go for pretty boys like you."

And without warning, she placed her hands on either side of Sasuke's face and kissed him, her tongue demanding entrance. Sasuke's body went straight, and he blamed his slow reflexes on the alcohol. Ordinarily, he would've pushed her away without hesitation. But her tongue clashed against his, moist and warm. His heart began to quicken, and the buzz of the alcohol quelled his inhibitions. It had been too long since his last kiss.

Sasuke kissed back, seeing Kabuto and Juugo smirk in his periphery. This kiss meant nothing to him, tasting strongly of weed and liquor. Rebelliously, mind wandered back to his only ex who really mattered. He recalled when he shoplifted the necklace, and he knew he was doing this for the same reason. Their tongues wrestled, and Sasuke bit her lower lip, sucking lightly on her lip ring. He backed Tayuya into a wall, who moaned and trailed her hand down Sasuke's cheek, resting on his chest as she shoved her tongue into his mouth again.

As caught up as he was getting, this wasn't something he wanted to do just feet away from his friends. Sasuke separated from the group, directing the two of them to a temporarily isolated couch in the corner of the room. Tayuya navigated sloppily around the couch, brushing it with her hip as she fumbled. Tayuya sat first, pulling Sasuke by the shirt so that he fell on top of her. She raised her thigh between Sasuke's legs, an offer for friction which Sasuke did not accept. She grabbed Sasuke's hand, tugging it under her shirt so that his hand rested on her breast. Sasuke edged his thumb under her bra, dragging it lightly along the soft skin there.

Rising to the challenge, Tayuya traced her finger down Sasuke's happy trail, now unbuttoning his pants. Sasuke guided her hand back upward as he tugged on her earlobe with his teeth. He was buzzed, questionably even drunk, but this seemed sleezy to him. People were passed out next to them, only a few of them fully clothed. Some guy in the opposite corner was getting head.

"Don't be coy, Sasuke."

She smirked at him. Sasuke frowned. It wasn't that he lost his nerve, or that he was embarrassed to be doing this in front of others. He just didn't want to be like everyone else at this damned party.

"I'm not trying to be cute. I'm not interested in going there, at least not here."

Tayuya chuckled, her face sneering up at Sasuke.

"I thought you said you could keep up with me. Was that just talk?"

Tayuya tried to unbutton his pants again, using her other hand to knead against his crotch. Sasuke removed her hand again, aggravated with her persistence.

"If keeping up involves whipping out my dick for someone who's too high to even stand straight, then I'll stay behind. Nothing personal."

Tayuya averted her eyes from Sasuke, searching for a comeback. Finally, she turned back to him, smirking knowingly.

"You're not a virgin, are you?" she taunted.

The Uchiha rolled his eyes. Was she hoping that he'd have sex with her to defend his masculinity? How transparent.

"Because you have to be a virgin not to want to fuck someone you just met?"

She shrieked out a laugh, her voice loud.

"So you _are_ a virgin!"

Several people were looking over at them now. Sasuke hitched, feeling a slight warmth flush to his cheeks. For an instant, he was speechless. So, Tayuya realized she couldn't talk him into this and was trying to embarrass him now. Perfect.

Sasuke countered, his voice a little louder than it needed to be as he glared down at her with amusement, "This is how you take rejection? Someone's insecure."

He spoke nowhere nearly as loud as Tayuya, but he wanted people to hear him defend himself. He wanted them to know why Tayuya was saying these things. Perhaps he was being a bit childish himself, and the alcohol certainly wasn't helping.

Tayuya looked around, laughing and pointing at Sasuke.

"He didn't deny it! He's a virgin!"

People looked away, evidently nowhere near as amused by the whole situation as Tayuya was. Everyone seemed too wrapped up in their own affairs to pay her any mind, and the music was so loud that anyone more than a few feet away from them was totally out of earshot.

Sasuke stood up, staring down at Tayuya patronizingly.

"You're not worth the trouble."

He walked away from Tayuya, pushing himself through the throng of bodies and navigating back into the kitchen. He angrily poured himself another shot of gin and downed it in an instant. So this is why he hated these sorts of parties. They were all the same, and he regretted not going with his instinct. Suigetsu ran up behind him, patting him hard on the back.

"Sasuke! Damn, hittin' the juice again? I've never seen you cut loose like that before! Pour me one of those."

It wasn't even that Sasuke was all that drunk. He just had a reputation for relative sobriety. Sasuke sighed, pouring Suigetsu a shot of gin. It was gone by the time Sasuke looked back at him.

"So Kabuto told me you and Tayuya went to the lover's corner. How'd that one go?"

Karin, obviously smashed, stumbled up behind Suigetsu. Sasuke glared at Suigetsu, who shook his head.

"No? Well Tayuya is a fuckin' piece of work, man. You're better off."

Karin slurred, "Yeah, she's a fucking BITCH, S'suke. She said saw my shirt at Walmart and I was like, 'SLUT, don't you even go off on me. Your vagina's like a revolving door.'"

She put her arm around Sasuke, a strong scent of alcohol assaulting Sasuke's nostrils as she kissed his cheek.

"I'd treat you sooo much better," she drawled.

Despite their idiocy, they had managed to make him feel a little better about the situation. Sasuke edged away from Karin, feeling especially uncomfortable given the fact that her boyfriend was staring directly at them.

"Shit, woman! You can at least wait until I'm gone!"

Karin stamped her foot.

"Next time, I will! I think I need more to drink..."

Suigetsu pulled her back.

"Do you want to walk out of here or be carried? Calm the fuck down."

Karin ripped Suigetsu's hand off of her.

"No! I smoked a lot of weed, but if I don't drink a lot, it will be uneven. And I'll have a bad time. Do you want me to have a bad time?"

She swayed as she used the table to balance herself. Sasuke was already feeling the alcohol's effects, the din of the music and other partygoers blurring together.

"'Sides, you drank a _lot_. Why can't I drink more too? You're hoggin' it all."

Again, Karin made a grab for the vodka bottle.

Suigetsu squinted his eyes, holding Karin in place, "Yeah, cuz I can _handle_ my fuckin' liquor. Unlike someone I know."

Karin punched Suigetsu on the arm.

"You take that back!"

Suigetsu crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Hell no! Ya lightweight!"

Karin hit Suigetsu on the arm again repeatedly, each one quickly following the next. Suigetsu tried to move away but was blocked by a large mass of people.

"Ow! Karin, stop! That hurts! Sasuke, do something!"

But Sasuke had already walked away after Karin began to hit Suigetsu, spotting Juugo sitting outside with Kabuto, Deidara, and Deidara's friend Sasori. Sasuke spent the rest of the night smoking cigarettes, listening to Juugo talk about the upcoming football season, begrudgingly fielding questions about his fight with Sai, warding off flirtatious females, and impatiently wondering when his group of friends would finally decide to leave.

* * *

Author's Note: Any feedback's appreciated! Again, thank you to those of you who have commented, favorited, or followed.

Next week is Naruto's birthday, so you'll get plenty of Naruto that chapter. :) Hope you enjoyed!


	8. Chapter 7, Part 1

He paid for it on Sunday morning. The hangover seemed to hover over him all night, just waiting for him to awaken so it could pounce him like a feral cat. He ran into his brother before he left for work on Sunday and had to pretend that he didn't have a migraine that made him want to throw something out the kitchen window. He was on Advil and chicken soup until the afternoon, which he spent studying.

Monday was more of the same. The same people and the same conversations. He ran into Tayuya after lunch period. As she approached him, he disregarded her completely, briskly walking out of the cafeteria and letting the door swing shut behind him. He wasn't sulking, but he believed that there was nothing she could say that would interest him. Kabuto invited him to another party, which Sasuke adamantly turned down. As much as his friends attempted to convince him, he refused to budge.

He told Naruto he'd come to pick him up at the park after school on Tuesday. He was wearing a dark blue button down with jeans and black Converse, his backpack swung over one shoulder. He didn't bother changing before walking over to the park, which was comfortably close to his high school. He approached the same bathroom where he had found Naruto on Saturday. Naruto was lying on his stomach, feet swinging in the air as he worked at a Sudoku puzzle someone must have left at the park. Since Naruto had been given prior warning this time, his hair was neat, and his body was clean.

"Knock knock," Sasuke announced himself.

Naruto smiled, not looking up from his puzzle.

"Who's there?"

"It's your limousine, here to escort you to the gala."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, adjusting an imaginary monocle and pretending to sip at a teacup.

"Well I do hope this one is a Rolls Royce. And with buttwarmers. Anything else simply will not do."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, a light smile on his face.

"Get your ass up. We have places to go."

Naruto closed his book and held out his hand to Sasuke, who hoisted him up.

"Where to?"

"First I'm getting you a new outfit. Can't have you walking around in rags."

Naruto looked a little disappointed.

"Nooo. You're supposed to say 'to the stars.'"

He then paused, apparently needing a while to process the statement.

"Wait... You're buying me clothes?"

Naruto looked up at Sasuke, his eyes open in blatant shock. Evidently, the kid had the processing speed of a sloth. Sasuke had to look away, finding the situation awkward.

"Well... I didn't get you a present. I thought this would be better."

It wasn't completely selfless. He knew a lot of people in this town, and he didn't want people to see him with someone dressed like that. This is why Naruto's gratitude made him a little sick to his stomach.

But he also knew that Naruto got sick of living as he did. He probably didn't like the looks any better than Sasuke did. Maybe just for this one day, Sasuke could let Naruto experience what he had always taken for granted.

"I...don't even know what to say. Thank you, Sasuke."

The raven scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"I'm buying you an outfit, not a Lamborghini. Now let's go."

They made small talk as they walked to a nearby discount store, about a mile out of the way. Sasuke's budget couldn't afford anything too luxurious, and even if it could, Naruto wouldn't hear of it. Naruto grinned as they entered the store.

"Man, it's been _forever_ since I've been clothes shopping."

"I wouldn't have guessed," Sasuke teased.

"Alright, smartass," Naruto said as he punched Sasuke's arm. Sasuke gave him a light shove back, careful so as not to send the lighter male flying.

Sasuke browsed the shoe rack to give Naruto some space while he searched for his own clothes.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto called over.

"Yeah?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Well, you look like... A stylish enough guy, and... Why don't you pick something that would look good on me?"

Sasuke snickered.

"Need help, Uzumaki?"

"Shut up."

He helped Naruto pick out a good handful of clothing. Neither were sure of Naruto's size, so he had to pick out a few duplicates. There were camouflage shorts, light blue jeans, and a variety of colored tops. Sasuke followed Naruto to the dressing room. He waited patiently in a seat across from Naruto's stall as he changed, which didn't end up taking very long at all. The door flung open, revealing Naruto in his new clothes...a short red party dress.

Naruto used his best falsetto voice, "Sasuke, does this dress make my butt look fat?"

An instant's shock replaced confusion as Sasuke gave another peek just to make certain they had entered the male dressing rooms. Right, unisex. His lips undulated as he attempted not to laugh.

"What butt?"

Naruto had now apparently settled on speaking as a male once again, "What are you talking about? I am fucking voluptuous. Look at these curves!"

Naruto smoothed his hand down from his chest to his ass, swishing his hips to the side.

"I got one for each rib," he grinned.

So, Naruto had a sense of humor about his situation. He was glad to hear it.

"Uh huh," he answered sarcastically, raising his eyebrows.

Naruto lifted his finger to his mouth.

"Now... I'm going to need some large pearl earrings and red lipstick. A young lady needs to put her face on."

He entered the fitting room again, closing it behind him. Sasuke could hear him taking the dress off and changing into something new.

"Never thought I'd help you blossom into such a lovely young transvestite."

Sasuke crossed his arms, leaning back into his cheap plastic chair.

"Right? And please, I know I look really fucking sexy right now, but try not to fall in love with me, okay?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Good god, Naruto."

But Naruto didn't let that stop him, his voice as animated as it had been.

"Cuz I'm just at that time in my life…ya know? The world is my oyster. I need to play the field. I'm like a fuckin' free bird. Can't chain me, man. I'm in the prime of my life, and maybe we'll talk when I'm older, when I wanna settle this fine ass down and have some fucking babies."

Sasuke was silent, quickly looking around to assure that they were alone. However, Naruto could not see him biting his lip so that he wouldn't start laughing. A suppressed smile was threatening to invade Sasuke's face, a muffled snort betraying him despite his best efforts. And unfortunately for Sasuke, this was just when Naruto finished changing and opened the door.

"Hah! You think I'm funny. I knew it!"

Naruto was dressed in the light blue jeans, the straight legs narrow enough to fit but also baggy enough so as not to make Naruto look too thin. He wore a dark grey tank top with a rust orange button down, which stopped at his elbows. The colors complemented his tanned skin nicely. Sasuke stopped laughing, staring at Naruto for a moment before he spoke. It was strange how simply changing his clothes could transform him like this. He looked like just about any other kid.

"I like it."

Sasuke's words stopped short. Subconsciously, he had always found Naruto attractive. However, now it had become obvious to him. He scolded himself. It was odd to falter like this, to be distracted by another guy's appearance. Had he been staring?

"Really?"

Naruto was grinning at him, pleased by his approval.

"Yeah. You clean up nice."

Naruto flicked his hand.

"Oh stawp, you."

"When did you pick up that dress, anyway?"

Shaking his head, the blond chuckled.

"I just found it in there."

Naruto paused, looking in the mirror.

"So, this one?"

Sasuke nodded. He waited for Naruto to change into his old clothes, afterward buying them at the front. Naruto looked rather guilty when he overheard the total, which barely breached twenty bucks. For a second time, he thanked Sasuke, who shrugged it off. Naruto changed into his new clothes in the restroom, and Sasuke stuffed the old clothes into his backpack.

Their next stop was In N Out. Sasuke had insisted on as much after Naruto confessed that this was also his favorite burger joint. The line was short, and the cashier was a young girl from Sasuke's chemistry class.

"Oh, hi Sasuke!"

She smiled, waving cheerfully.

"Hey."

"What'll you have?"

Sasuke didn't need to read the menu. He had simple tastes, really.

"I'll have a hamburger, extra tomatoes. And this guy's with me."

He pointed to Naruto, waiting for him to place his order.

He scratched the back of his head.

"Uh... I'll have a glass of water."

Sasuke stared at Naruto flatly, who appeared rather embarrassed. He rolled his eyes.

"Have you even eaten anything today?"

"No," Naruto admitted sheepishly.

Sasuke leaned forward, "He'll have a double double and a chocolate shake."

Naruto put his hand on Sasuke's forearm.

"Sasuke! You already treated me."

He grabbed Naruto's wrist and gently pushed it away.

"You need to eat, and I'm not doing this for charity. You're letting me drink some of your shake."

The girl behind the counter giggled.

"Sasuke, are you on a date?"

Sasuke blanched as Naruto laughed, pointing at him.

"What? No! This is my friend."

Out of Sasuke's view, Naruto smiled. Sasuke had called Naruto his _friend_, in front of a classmate no less. Naruto felt a little silly for letting this affect him so much. The girl leaned forward on the counter.

"Do you always treat your friends out to dinner and share milkshakes with them? That's so adorable."

"Tch. I don't swing that way."

She shook her head, still laughing.

"Alright, alright. In that case, you should come around here again. I'm here on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

Sasuke grunted.

"I'll keep it in mind."

Naruto stabbed the chocolate shake with a straw, smiling as he sipped at it. They took one of the booths towards the front of the restaurant, waiting for their number to be called.

"Hey, Sasuke..."

Naruto took a long sip of his milkshake, clenching his teeth at the resulting brain freeze.

"Hm?"

Sasuke grabbed the shake for himself, taking a modest sip as Naruto recuperated.

"You're...one of the popular kids at school, aren't you?"

He sat the shake back on the table in front of Naruto, leaning back. He wondered why Naruto would ask such a thing.

"You could say that. Why?"

Naruto's eyes fell as he fumbled with the corner of his new button down.

"I just don't know why someone like you would hang out with someone like me."

He sipped at his shake, looking through the clear cap as the beverage shrunk down. Ordinarily, Naruto didn't seem insecure. But every now and again, he would say something like this that made Sasuke wonder. Honestly, Sasuke didn't see what his popularity had to do with any of this. There was a short pause between them until Sasuke answered.

"Don't put yourself down like that."

Naruto's eyes shot back up at Sasuke. He looked surprised.

"I wasn't very popular in school. I never stayed in one place too long growing up."

Naruto still appeared uncomfortable, as he so often did when speaking of his past.

"Is that because you were switching families?"

Naruto nodded, looking uncomfortable. Sasuke wanted to know more. He wanted to know if Naruto ever knew his parents, or what happened to them. But Sasuke understood the need for privacy, more than most anyone else. He wouldn't push Naruto. This was a courtesy Sasuke often wished others would extend to him as well. Again, there was a lull in their conversation.

"You really like movies, don't you?"

Sasuke decided that it was best to change the subject before Naruto's mood fell.

"Yeah. How did you know?"

Naruto rested his elbow on the table.

"You keep making references to them."

Naruto chuckled.

"Do I really do it that much?"

"Just enough for me to notice. Someone bought me a gift certificate to the theater by Broadway."

Naruto toyed with the straw wrapper, tying it into a bow.

"You mean the one that plays classics?"

"Mhm. Want to go?"

Naruto's mouth hung open. Their number was called, and Sasuke grabbed them their burgers and returned to the table. Naruto grabbed his double double, holding it to his nose and breathing in deeply. His eyes closed as he smiled.

"God, Sasuke. You are _really_ spoiling me. First the outfit, then this glorious burger of Valhalla, _then_ a movie?"

He shook his head.

"It's not a big deal. Like I said, I have the gift certificate anyway."

He had been planning on using it to take Itachi with him. However, with Itachi's hectic work and school schedules, Sasuke eventually relinquished that ambition. He missed his brother, and despite Itachi's best efforts, he didn't have much time for Sasuke. So the card just sat in Sasuke's wallet, the corners bent and creased. Sasuke didn't fully understand it, but using it now, with Naruto, made him happy.

Naruto took a large bite of his burger, unable to chew with his mouth closed. Sasuke bit his own neatly, chewing his food slowly and thoroughly. Despite the fact that Naruto's burger was much thicker and larger than Sasuke's, he was already close to half way done.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you to chew with your mouth closed? I'm not doing the Heimlich on you if you choke."

Naruto's voice was muffled by burger as he sipped his shake, "You'd be the worst predator ever. Like hell is my food getting away."

He chomped at the burger again, wiping away a splotch of mustard on his chin. Naruto finished his burger long before Sasuke, sipping on his shake as he patiently waited for the other boy to finish. Naruto had smiled as he ate, glad to have a hot meal for once. He looked like an imbecile, but watching him made Sasuke enjoy his own food just a bit more.


	9. Chapter 7, Part 2

The theater was about a thirty minute walk away. They could have taken the bus, but they decided to take advantage of the brisk evening air. After all, they were in no rush. They made small talk, lightly roughhousing as one teased the other. Once they finally arrived at the theater, the two browsed the titles.

"What about Monty Python and the Holy Grail?" queried Sasuke.

Naruto laughed, shaking his head.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just that I'd never expect you to like Monty Python. You don't seem the type."

Sasuke smiled crookedly, glancing over at Naruto.

"There's a saying about books and covers."

A feline-like grin took Naruto's face.

"I know that more than anyone."

Due to it being a Tuesday night, the wait to get tickets was short. This was fortunate, as the movie was going to begin in five minutes. Since Sasuke had seen the movie once before, he sent Naruto into the theater to save them spots while he bought them popcorn. Sasuke had claimed that he was only doing so to get rid of the gift card by spending the remaining balance, but this was a lie.

They had lifted up the armrest, and the popcorn sat between the two of them. The movie earned several bellowing laughs from Naruto. He nearly lost it when the Knights Who Say Ni were introduced. Sasuke himself chuckled a few times, totally oblivious to the fact that Naruto would stop watching the movie every time Sasuke laughed. He glanced over at Sasuke as the raven lifted popcorn to his mouth, waiting until his quick laughter had ceased to take a bite. The light of the screen reflected against Sasuke's coal-colored irises, and Naruto himself smiled as he watched. Oddly, he found himself thinking that Sasuke looked beautiful.

When finally, the movie ended, Naruto stood abruptly and galloped out of the theater, all the while clapping his hands to mimic coconuts.

"To the holy grail!" he whooped.

His eyes rolling, Sasuke dragged behind Naruto with the empty popcorn bucket in hand.

"Keep that up, and I'm going to pretend not to know you."

Naruto whipped around, frowning as he crinkled his nose at Sasuke.

"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries."

Sasuke arched a brow.

"Someone enjoyed the movie."

It was getting late, and Sasuke had to wake up early the next morning. The two of them decided to ride the bus back to the park, since they were in a shady part of town after nightfall. As they meandered towards the door, a girl with a messenger bag covered in peace sign pins approached them. Her waist-long brown hair trailed behind her, and her boyfriend had his arm around her shoulder. She smiled at them warmly, and Naruto smiled just as widely back. Sasuke edged away from the two of them, perplexed and slightly disturbed by the situation. What were those two up to?

"You know, the two of you are so brave. I couldn't help but notice the two of you in the movie, and it really pleases me to see this."

Sasuke cast the girl an odd expression, believing that he caught her inference but not certain. Naruto cast her a thumbs up.

"I really am incredible, aren't I?"

The girl continued, "Yes, it's just so nice to see two people who aren't afraid to express their love for each other."

Her boyfriend nodded as well, obviously in agreeance. Sasuke's jaw dropped slightly, his brows knit. Again? Seriously? Naruto swung his arm around Sasuke's shoulders, pulling him close in.

"Yeah, I _love_ this guy!"

Sasuke budged, sharply elbowing Naruto in the side.

"Hey, dumbass..."

But Naruto did not allow this to daunt him.

"He's like...the ice cream to my cone, man. In fact, he bought me ice cream just the other day!"

The girl clasped her hands together.

"Aw, that is just too sweet! It just goes to show that the love two men share for each other is just as real as any other love."

Naruto popped his collar, which did not help Sasuke's embarrassment with the situation at hand.

"Heh. Nothin' more real than this, baby."

He locked their hands together and held them up, the Uchiha turning his face and flicking his hand away. Her boyfriend cast them both another nod.

"More power to you, both of you."

His girlfriend added, "Yes, lovely meeting both of you. Both of you seem like wonderful boyfriends...such a lovely couple. Goodbye."

The two walked away, holding hands and leaning into each other closely. At the word "boyfriends", Naruto stopped cold, his eyes large and his face in a very dramatic, open frown. _Boyfriends?_ He yelled after them, sputtering.

"Wait! It's not like that! We're not dating! We're not a couple!"

But they were either out of earshot or simply did not want to hear. Naruto turned to Sasuke, frantically tugging on his arm to get his attention.

"Sasuke! She thought we were dating all this time! Did you know that?"

Sasuke held his face in his palm, shaking his head.

"Naruto, you are so stupid sometimes that it's painful to watch."

Naruto pouted, gently shoving Sasuke's shoulder.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Sasuke snickered.

"You think?"

Naruto frowned slightly as they exited the building, sauntering towards the bus stop. For a moment, he appeared to be lost in thought.

"Why do people keep thinking that? Is it really so out of the ordinary for a couple of guys to go to dinner and a movie together?"

Sasuke shrugged. While it had been awkward at the time, he wasn't bothered by the mixups. There was nothing wrong with dating a man, so he had no reason to be ashamed. Was it body language? Some sort of dynamics he was unaware of?

"Got me."

The sound of their footsteps echoed as they took their shortcut, quickly passing between two buildings.

"Sasuke," Naruto asked in a quiet voice, "do you have a girlfriend?"

The taller boy scrunched his eyebrows together.

"What?"

Naruto fumbled with his sleeve, stammering, "I mean... A guy like you probably doesn't have any trouble."

Sasuke looked at Naruto skeptically, subconsciously putting more distance between them as they walked. Naruto wasn't...interested, was he?

"Why are you asking me this?"

Naruto refused to look at Sasuke directly.

"'M'just curious."

Though Naruto's behavior was suspicious, Sasuke didn't see any harm in answering the question.

"I've had a few girlfriends, but most of them didn't last long. I'm single now, by choice."

The blond placed his hands in his pockets, kicking a rock as they met up again with the sidewalk.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did they end?"

The Uchiha sighed, taking in his environment. It was a beautiful night, and he wished he had a cigarette.

"They were mostly shallow relationships, results of hormones and boredom."

Sasuke was omitting one particular instance in this case, but his vague statement was not questioned. One girl with long, strawberry blond hair distracted him, but he quickly rerouted his thoughts. Naruto gave his rock another kick.

"Ah..."

Sasuke wondered, at that moment, if Naruto had ever dated. What were his options, in his situation? Sasuke didn't even know how long he'd been homeless.

"What about you?"

Naruto walked past the rock, his eyes clinging to the ground and moving as far away from Sasuke as possible. One hand clenched his sleeve, the other picking at an imaginary stain on his shirt.

"Well... I... I've never had a _girl_friend."

Sasuke smirked, casting a knowing glance at Naruto.

"Oh? Why the emphasis?"

Naruto was silent for a much longer time now. His face was growing a dark pink, which was even noticeable in the poor lighting. Sasuke gazed over at him, watching him as he flustered and bit his lip. He looked like he was searching for the courage to continue.

"I never... Um... I did have a boyfriend once."

Sasuke's tone didn't change.

"So, are you bisexual? Gay?"

Naruto still couldn't look at Sasuke, but his reply seemed to come more easily.

"Gay... I think."

Sasuke shook his head, rebutting teasingly, "I should've known when you started professing your love to me and wearing red party dresses."

Naruto snickered.

"So... Are we good?"

Onyx locks bounced as Sasuke tilted his head.

"You mean am I going to storm out of your life because you're gay? Of course not."

It was then that Naruto was finally able to look at him again, cheerful now.

"Thanks for being so cool about this, Sasuke."

A thin brow was cocked.

"That's not me being cool. That's just me not being a total asshole."

Naruto shrugged, finding another rock to kick.

"Yeah, I guess. But a lot of people aren't so understanding."

"A lot of people are assholes," Sasuke responded matter-of-factly.

Naruto rubbed his now sweaty fingertip over his shirt's button.

"What about you, Sasuke? Did you mean what you said to that girl at In N Out?"

Naruto accidentally kicked the rock towards Sasuke's side, and Sasuke kindly kicked it back over to Naruto.

"You mean do I like guys?"

Naruto nodded. Sasuke paused for a moment, thinking. Had he ever been attracted to guys? There had been a time, when Sasuke was very young, when he kissed a boy at school. His father had been called, and Sasuke's television privileges were revoked for a week. If he had felt any attraction towards the male gender, he had ignored it thoroughly. For much of his life, he worried that pursuing such a thing would disappoint his father. And now, he felt very little for anyone, though he doubted that this had much to do with his sexual orientation.

"I've been attracted to girls, but not a guy yet. Truthfully, I haven't thought about it much."

"Mn."

It was impossible to miss the disappointment in Naruto's voice. Did Naruto have feelings for him? Sasuke was beginning to suspect as much. But even if he did, Sasuke would refuse to let it make things between them awkward. This certainly wouldn't be the first time a friend had developed a crush on him.

As they reached the bus stop, a man boarded the bus, his wallet falling behind him and landing on the pavement as the doors began to close. There wasn't a soul around for blocks, the zipping of cars offering the only noise. Naruto quickly ran up to the bus.

"Wait!"

He waved his arms wildly.

"You dropped your wallet!"

The man urgently begged the bus driver to stop the doors from closing, and they soon began to open again. The man smiled at Naruto, who picked up his wallet and handed it to him.

"Thank you so much. You're a lifesaver."

The bounce in Naruto's mood was obvious.

"Heh. Be careful, okay?"

The man nodded, waving gratefully as he walked back into the bus. Naruto jogged back to Sasuke, a smile revealing Naruto's top molars.

"That wallet was thick! He would've been totally screwed."

A look of mild bewilderment lurked on Sasuke's face as he simply stared at the blond. He had watched the entire situation. Reluctantly, he experienced a surge of admiration towards Naruto. Naruto could have easily gotten away with taking the wallet. But even though he could hardly afford to eat, he had gladly returned it. Of course, it could've been only because Sasuke was watching. But still, he hadn't hesitated for an instant. There was no reluctance, as if there had never even been a question in his mind.

Sasuke was a cynic. He believed that once all pleasantries were shed, people were dishonest, selfish, and manipulative at their cores. Perhaps this was why he was so surprised.

"What's that look for?"

Sasuke seemed to snap back into his own, gesturing for Naruto to forget the matter.

"It's nothing."

Sasuke craned his neck upward as a bus neared the stop.

"This is us."

The two boarded, taking a double seat row towards the back. They jolted as the bus began moving, and Naruto exhaled deeply as they encountered their first surge of traffic. Naruto's eyes began to flutter shut, and his body leaned into Sasuke's. Finally, Naruto's head lopped to the side, falling on Sasuke's shoulder. Warm breath misted Sasuke's collarbone.

Naruto had never mentioned being sleepy. With his body as malnourished as it was, it made sense that Naruto would tire easily. Sasuke remained still so as not to wake him. Yes, Naruto was gay, and yes, perhaps he had a crush on him. But there was nothing wrong with this. It was a simple, platonic act.

Naruto appeared peaceful, almost angelic as he slept. Sasuke believed that most anyone would appear this way in sleep and never bought into the hype, but with Naruto, he couldn't help it. His deep inhales and exhales were barely distinguishable, soft snores escaping every couple minutes. He was enjoying the warmth on his shoulder, the sense of companionship. A long time had passed since he allowed himself to be close to anyone. It was best that Naruto was asleep. Without privacy, Sasuke would have never allowed himself to feel this way.

He watched Naruto as his eyelids twitched, and he was finally able to analyze the scars on Naruto's cheeks that had intrigued him. They were evenly spaced, so that they appeared intentional. It appeared that the cuts were deep, and the partially jagged pattern indicated that there had been a struggle. Sasuke averted his eyes, not wanting to think about this anymore.

It gave him the same feeling he had experienced when he'd read Itachi's journal as a child, as if he was encroaching upon Naruto's privacy. And he didn't like the icy, sharp sensations that brewed in his gut when he thought about such suffering being brought upon someone so innocent. Did this have something to do with his hatred towards the foster care system, or had this happened afterward? As softly as he possibly could, he moved a wheat-colored lock away from the tanned cheek.

Naruto stirred as the bus made its stops, but he quickly fell back into slumber. As they neared their stop, Sasuke roused him. Noticing that he had slept on Sasuke's shoulder, Naruto blushed and quickly readjusted his hair.

"Crap, I'm sorry. I should pay more attention to where I'm conking out."

"Don't worry about it."

The distance to Naruto's bathroom was short. Sasuke pulled Naruto's belongings out of his backpack, placing them by Naruto's resting spot.

"It's time for me to head out."

Sasuke frowned, and so did Naruto. It was late, and he needed to sleep. But he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay with Naruto, to have their stupid conversations and roam around the town aimlessly until midnight, or even later. His mind flashed back to the party Saturday night, and he realized that tonight had been one hell of a lot more fun.

Loneliness haunted Sasuke constantly. Even when he was with his friends, he still felt lonely. He was unable to escape his own grief. But Naruto was an exception. He felt happy around him. He laughed more, was kinder, and was able to relax. It didn't matter what Naruto was. Even in the short time they had known each other, he was quickly becoming important to him.

Naruto smiled softly.

"You know... Before you offered to hang out with me, I thought this was going to be one of the worst birthdays of my life. But instead, it was one of the best. It's been a tough year, you know?"

Sasuke nodded wordlessly. Perhaps it was a little sad that this had been one of the best birthdays of Naruto's life. But from what Sasuke could ascertain, his foster families were lackluster, and he was always short on friends. And so far as how the year had gone, Naruto wasn't alone in that. Indeed, this had been the toughest year of Sasuke's life.

"Thank you, Sasuke. Even if it seems kind of silly, I'll never forget tonight."

Sasuke's heart beat into his ears, a slight tingling on his arms and back. Naruto looked like he was close to tears. He couldn't remember the last time he had made someone so happy. Maybe he wasn't a bad person after all. He wouldn't admit to as much, but as mundane as the night had been, he didn't think he would forget it either. His body felt light, and his lips were lightly upturned.

"I know, Naruto."

Sasuke smirked arrogantly, pausing before his features softened.

"I enjoyed this," he admitted.

Naruto shot back a wide grin.

"Believe me, me too."

Sasuke hesitated before walking away with a wave. He was going going back to a nice home, with a comfortable plush mattress and one hundred plus channels. Leaving Naruto in a park felt wrong, but what other choice did he have? Distracting himself, Sasuke walked away without looking back.

* * *

Again, thanks so much for reading! Don't be afraid to leave me a review. I love to hear from you guys.


	10. Chapter 8

Sasuke shook a sticky soda can into his bag as Naruto held it out for him. In Naruto's other hand, he held a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Ignoring Naruto's protests, Sasuke made a habit of packing himself two meals whenever working at the park. It was repayment for all of Naruto's help in the kitchen and at the park, Sasuke explained. A simple quid pro quo. He had also brought an old black track jacket he had outgrown in the past year for Naruto, which Sasuke no longer had use for.

The leaves had begun to change, occasional dabs or red and yellow dispersed among a sea of palm trees. As far as autumns went, this was as drastic as southern California got. The weather had begun to cool, and now Sasuke frequented the park in a jacket.

Sasuke explained to Naruto that the cool weather had caused the beach to become less popular, meaning that less cleanup was required. Thus, his only other possible option was the park. He neglected to mention that he could've also cleaned up a number of hiking trails, as well as the grass around the freeway. It was a white lie.

In the time that passed, Sasuke was dragged to a few more parties. He was beginning to find them somewhat more tolerable, and they broke the monotony of his week. Sasuke had also developed something of a shoplifting habit. Most of the nervousness and adrenaline of his first time was gone. He stole without thinking now, quick and dirty. But as he neared the security censors, he still experienced a rush, if only just a small one. He found himself stealing even if he hadn't originally wanted to. It became a compulsion for him. While he admitted this to himself on some level, he took few measures to remedy it other than occasionally avoiding stores. He seemed to have a knack for it and had never come near to getting caught.

Of course, Naruto knew nothing of this. Sasuke never talked about his friends, the ways they misbehaved together, or the parties they went to. He didn't talk about how he'd made out with some random girl, or about when they had to drop Suigetsu off at the hospital because he drank too much that night. Nor did he mention the fate of his parents, his stressed and overworked brother, or their perpetually empty house.

He didn't want to talk to Naruto about any of those things. Despite Naruto's situation, and the fact that he was far less sheltered than even Sasuke, he seemed innocent to the Uchiha, untainted. Hwo would Naruto react if he knew the truth? Aside from that, Sasuke enjoyed getting away from his normal life. When he was around Naruto, the person he used to be returned to the surface. There was no need to mar these moments of blissful escape with reality.

Sasuke had been especially quiet today, the hangover from the previous night not yet abated. Sasuke told Naruto that he had simply woken up with a random headache, which Naruto bought without questioning. The light around them ached, feeling as if someone were jabbing their thumb into the back of Sasuke's eyes. He was prone to migraines, and hangovers certainly didn't help matters.

"So I've been getting more trouble from the cops..." Naruto trailed off, frowning.

"Oh?"

Sasuke recalled the time that he had talked Naruto out of one of his last run-ins with the police. How frequently did that happen, anyhow? Naruto shrugged.

"Yeah. I don't know how much longer I can stay in the park. They told me to leave yesterday."

The ping of a baseball bat sounded as a boy hit a double in the field to their right. Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, whose discouragement was obvious.

"Do you know where you're going to stay now?"

Naruto shook his head, his frown sinking lower.

"I have a few options. None of them are very good, but it is what it is I suppose."

Sasuke wasn't sure how to respond. As ironic as it sounded, he had just lost his home. Naruto must have been filled with dread, sadness, and maybe even fear. He should be comforting Naruto, and he knew this. But this was something he had always been horrible with.

"Naruto, there's a shelter a city over. Why don't you just go there?"

"No. I can't," Naruto answered quickly, not giving Sasuke's suggestion even an instant of consideration.

It wasn't that Sasuke was angry with Naruto. But he wondered why Naruto would submit himself to this if he had any choice in the matter. Why was he doing this to himself? Why was he turning down, no, running _from_ shelter, food, and a relatively safe environment when they were immediately in his grasp?

"What do you mean, you can't? Yes, you can. I can even take you there."

Naruto contended, "No, I can't. It's pretty obvious that I'm not over eighteen. If I check myself into the shelter, they'll call social services, and I'm back in foster care."

There was something Naruto wasn't telling him. This story made no sense. What was he hiding? Why was Naruto trying so hard to dodge the system? And what had he experienced in foster care that had been so horrible?

It enraged him. If someone else had been inflicting this on Naruto, they would have been lucky to get off with something as simple as a broken nose. But in this situation, Sasuke was completely helpless. He had brought this issue up with Naruto once before, and Naruto had refused to budge. He hated to watch this, and to him, it was totally unnecessary. He didn't bother to hide the anger in his voice.

"So? So what, you end up in foster care. You'll have a roof over your head, food, and a bed to sleep in. Look at you. You live in a goddamned park, you're dressed in rags, and you're way too fucking thin. Stop moping and take care of yourself for once!"

Perhaps he had gone too far. He didn't care. He just wanted this to stop. He couldn't stand watching this anymore. He worried about Naruto far more often than he would admit to himself. What if he got mugged? What if he got sick and couldn't get to a hospital? Who would protect him then? Naruto was just a kid, hardly older than he was.

Naruto growled, hiding the hurt in his voice as he shouted at Sasuke, "You really don't get it, do you? You're a sheltered, spoiled little brat, and you have no idea what I've lived through. Just shut up."

This had been the first time he had ever seen Naruto truly angry. Sasuke understood that Naruto had been through a lot, probably much more than Sasuke had. Yet still, Sasuke resented the implication that his own life was sunshine and roses just because he had a roof over his head. Naruto wasn't the only one with secrets.

"Then what _is_ it? What am I not getting? Explain it to me, so a spoiled brat like me can understand."

His tone towards the end was mocking, his frustration mounting as they continued to argue.

Naruto seethed, "I don't have to explain _anything_ to you. It's none of your damned business."

Naruto was right. Sasuke had entered Naruto's life just over a month ago, and he had no right to decide how Naruto should live. As much as it hurt him, he needed to respect this. He had been intrusive. Sasuke walked in silence, doing his best to muster up the words he knew he needed to say.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I went too far."

Naruto was still incensed, but he recognized that Sasuke probably wasn't a guy who often apologized. He attempted to calm himself before responding to Sasuke. He knew why Sasuke was acting like this. Although Sasuke's words had stung, Naruto was at least happy to know that someone cared about him.

"It's alright. I know you didn't mean anything bad by it."

Naruto accepted the apology, but Sasuke could tell that his hurt and frustration over it had clearly not abided.

"Mn."

They were close to finishing the park, and the next fifteen minutes were spent in near silence. Although the two had reconciled, there was an awkwardness between them that didn't dissipate. Naruto tossed the bag in the dumpster as their job came to an end.

"I'll probably be staying near Eighth and J, if you want to see me. I won't be at the park much anymore."

Sasuke tried not to make his disappointment apparent. Nothing good happened in that part of town. He'd heard of a few cars getting broken into, and even an armed robbery about a couple miles from that intersection several years back.

Despite their earlier disagreement, he couldn't help but comment, "That's a pretty shady part of town, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged.

"Yeah, I know. But I know for a fact that the cops don't bug you there."

He nodded, refraining himself from making any more comments. He'd already created an image for himself as a worried mother hen. He wondered at how Naruto could make him behave so uncharacteristically.

"Alright. Well, Thursday then."

He'd wanted to say more. He wanted to tell him to just use his brain and protect his own safety and wellbeing, that this situation was crazy.

"Yeah, Thursday," Sasuke responded, and it seemed entirely inadequate to him.

Sasuke was frustrated with himself when he lost a couple hours of sleep that night worrying about Naruto. Had Naruto moved yet? Had the cops gotten to him? Was there something else he could've said to him to get him to go to the shelter? Was there anything he could have done?

It didn't take long for things to happen to people. By the time anyone even suspected, they could already be gone. He didn't expect Naruto to vanish, of course. It wasn't that serious. But his mind wandered, and his dreams were fitful.

By Monday, he was able to forget. His teachers appeared to have consorted against him, scheduling a twenty page paper, two different tests, and a speech within a three day period. He stayed up until the wee hours of the morning studying every night, though he'd never admit as much to his friends. By the time he bussed out to the soup kitchen from school, he had dark bags under his eyes and a nasty headache.

This time, they had him handing out rolls and salad. He did his job without thinking, casting a nod and several "you're welcome"s at the patrons. However, the words "soup's on" did not announce the beginning of his shift this evening. Sasuke did his best to ignore this, even smiling at a small girl who seemed especially pleased by the rolls. From time to time, he would halt his routine to scan the room for Naruto. He was nowhere to be found. Naruto had shown up every Thursday just as the doors were opened, shouting the same damned phrase like clockwork. And now, where was he?

This was unusual, but Sasuke dismissed it. They would be open for almost three hours, so Naruto had plenty of time to arrive. But when one hour passed, and then two hours, Sasuke began to remember their conversation from Saturday. As tired as he already was, he grew distracted, placing a salad on the wrong plate and dropping a roll. He recalled that the two of them had fought bitterly but quickly, and they parted awkwardly. Though Sasuke had apologized, he didn't know if Naruto had fully forgiven him. Is this why he wasn't showing up?

Or had something happened to him? He'd spent almost a full week in his new spot. His feelings from Saturday night began to return. He tried to talk himself out of worrying. Maybe Naruto had mixed up his new bus routes. Or maybe he was just angry with Sasuke. Maybe he had a cold, or maybe someone had fed him today. Sasuke frowned as the kitchen closed for the night, the pit of his stomach turned to sludge.

When Itachi picked him up, his face was pale. Undoubtedly, he was exhausted and probably once again coming down with a low-grade illness. He noticed that Sasuke was particularly withdrawn. Sasuke reassured his brother that he was simply tired from studying. After the kitchen closed, he wanted to find Naruto himself. But he had no time to do this before Itachi arrived, and he knew Itachi wouldn't want Sasuke out late on a school night. And besides, he didn't want to overreact. So he decided to wait until after school on Friday to find Naruto.

It was late afternoon when he finally arrived at Eighth and J. There were tents poked in alleyways, against a backdrop of concrete buildings. Sasuke walked down the stretch slowly, browsing for Naruto. He covered the block. He had been walking about five minutes when he saw someone walking forward, resting his body against a brick building. Sasuke noticed a familiar T-shirt trudging along.

"Naruto?"

The boy continued walking, ignoring Sasuke's voice. As a noisy bus passed them, Sasuke wondered if Naruto misheard. He came up closer, speaking more loudly now.

"Hey, Naruto."

The shorter of the two stopped moving, lifting his head.

"Oh, hi, S'uke..."

Naruto's voice was clumsy and nervous, and Sasuke immediately suspected that something was amiss. Naruto had a horrible poker face. He walked in front of Naruto, looking behind him to finally get a glimpse of the blond. Gathering his will, Naruto turned his face directly towards Sasuke, smiling as if nothing were different.

The blond had a swollen black eye, a swollen nose, and a scabbed over lip. Sasuke's eyes broadened as he took in the damage, and he swallowed hard. But at least his voice didn't fail him, flat and collected as always.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Naruto blinked abashedly, "Oh... Just got in a little fight. No big deal."

Sasuke scrunched a brow, looking Naruto over.

"No big deal? You look like you were pummeled by a baboon."

Naruto grinned widely, pointing to his face with his thumb.

"Please, you're just jealous of how majestically rugged I look now."

Sasuke sighed, crossing his arms as Naruto's tone put him at ease.

"Right. You should stop picking fights, dumbass."

Naruto smiled again, and it seemed rather rigid to Sasuke.

"Yeah... I will then."

They took several paces in silence before Sasuke cast Naruto a look of suspicion, sighing, "Naruto, what really happened?"

Blue eyes looked up at Sasuke.

"Honest?"

He nodded.

"Some older guy... I think he was homeless too... He kind of tired to...get sexual with me."

Sasuke unconsciously held his breath, his eyes falling towards Naruto in disbelief.

"I'd been asleep by the curb, so I wasn't expecting it. He was a big guy, so I had trouble getting away. But I did escape before he...you know..."

Sasuke stared at Naruto vacantly, the shock on his face impossible to overlook. He searched for words. What was he supposed to do in this situation? His friend had just been assaulted, molested, and nearly raped. Any good friend would have done something about it, would've found something comforting and meaningful to say.

As articulate as Sasuke ordinarily was, all he could get out was, "So. You..."

Naruto turned his head away in embarrassment.

"Jeez, Sasuke. You don't gotta look at me like I'm a maimed baby penguin or something."

Naruto's statement snapped Sasuke out of his thoughts, and shock was replaced by anger. Ice was rushing through his veins and capillaries, his heart thudding with desire for payment. Someone had to pay.

He knew it. This had been a horrible idea. If Naruto had only listened to him, this wouldn't have happened. But he wouldn't blame Naruto for this. No, he was angry at the situation, and angry at what had happened and what _could_ have happened.

"Jesus, that is...so fucked up. Where is he?"

Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke's forearm, a calming smile on his face. He didn't want Sasuke to be upset, but seeing him get upset over him... It made him happy that Sasuke cared so much.

"Sasuke, he wasn't right in the head, you know? I don't think he even fully understood what he was doing."

He knew that Naruto was trying to calm him down, but somehow this only made him angrier. He didn't want to hear that.

"That's no excuse. See, people are worthless. They're fucking scum."

Naruto scratched his cheek, shaking his head.

"Ah... People aren't so bad, you know? Even the ones you think are bad... Maybe they just need to be pushed in the right direction."

Sasuke paused, turning to Naruto. He didn't understand how Naruto could say something like that, covered in cuts and bruises. How could he be so forgiving? His brain detoured towards a more selfish subject: If Naruto knew about him, would he feel the same?

Sasuke couldn't agree with Naruto. He could not bring himself to be so understanding, and he still wanted to break that man's jaw. But his features softened as Naruto beamed up at him, trying to get him to reconsider.

"It's...really dangerous out there, isn't it?"

Naruto scoffed, his voice tired as he replied, "Well, it isn't Disneyland."

He frowned, giving Naruto another look over. He was not short, but he was thin. He didn't seem to be all that experienced with the streets, considering how he acted when he ran into that cop and his current situation. He had known that this situation was dangerous, but despite his misgivings, he had let Naruto do as he wished. Who knows what would happen the next time? He grabbed Naruto's wrist snugly.

"You're coming with me," Sasuke stated, his tone authoritative.

Naruto backed away, his palms facing outward as each eyebrow moved in the opposite direction.

"I am?"

Sasuke stared directly into Naruto's eyes as he insisted. Something about Sasuke's confidence made Naruto actually consider this.

"My house is empty all the time. My brother's in law school full-time and has a part time job, and my parents..."

Sasuke needed to make a quick decision. He didn't want a pause to give him away.

"They're always traveling for business. So I have people over sometimes, even for nights, and I get away with it."

This was it. If Naruto insisted on avoiding the system, this was the only way Sasuke could keep him safe. This would fix everything, if only for a little while. It was insane, but what other choice did he have? Naruto's eyes widened as he shook his head.

"No, I can't do that to you."

Sasuke smirked, turning towards the bus stop.

"I'm not giving you a choice in the matter."

He tugged Naruto forward by his sleeve. He had been told that he whenever he was angry or upset, he got tunnel vision. He was fixated, charging directly towards the bus stop. Nothing else existed. Naruto deadpanned.

"So, you're kidnapping me?"

Sasuke didn't bother to look back.

"So it would seem."

Naruto laughed, shaking his head at Sasuke in disbelief.

"No offense, but are you crazy? Like clinically, psychologically insane?"

"Entirely possible."

Maybe he was crazy. He was inviting a homeless person into his home, and he'd have to leave him there alone. And even if Naruto proved trustworthy (he'd returned the wallet, right?), this entire scheme was destined for failure. As rarely as Itachi frequented the house, he was still bound to find them eventually. Sasuke was taking quite a risk.

Usually when he got this feeling, Sasuke did something bad. It was that restlessness, that itch to do something that would get his synapses sparking. And this was crazy in the same way, but he felt good about it.

"It's just a matter of time until your family catches us."

Sasuke shot back his responses, giving Naruto's protests no mind.

"And you'll have somewhere to stay until then."

"I'll be fine, Sasuke. You don't need to..."

This aggravated him. He didn't want Naruto to say he'd be fine. He didn't believe him anymore.

As they neared the bus stop, he interrupted Naruto, "Stop talking. I'm not listening."

Naruto accepted Sasuke's plans with a faint smile, attempting to hide his relief.

"Maybe we can try one night. But let me grab my stuff."

Sasuke sheepishly supposed that this would have been a prudent consideration before storming off to the bus stop in a fit of determination and protective rage. Naruto grabbed his possessions, and they waited for the bus in silence with the large black bag beside them. It was not a tense silence. Perhaps they were both overwhelmed by what had just happened, deep in thought and trying to come to terms with it.

Sasuke had spoken out of passion. He knew from the beginning that this wasn't going to last. But he at least hoped that until then he could figure out a safe alternative for Naruto that he would accept. He hadn't thought about the specifics. Where would Naruto sleep? How would he feed him? What would happen if Naruto got sick? He remained calm, answering these questions as best he could. This idea was crazy enough as is. It would take a level head now.

The bus ride was no different. As with any Friday night, the bus was crammed tight. They both stood, Naruto's belongings crammed between them. The noisy bus didn't leave much room for conversation, Naruto seeming to be almost in a daze. A couple of the more tactless occupants stared at Naruto, the boy obviously injured and in rags. As Naruto looked over to Sasuke, the younger boy smiled back at him faintly. He raised his pointer and middle finger to Naruto's forehead, pressing against his anxiously knit brows as his brother had always done for him.

"Don't worry so much, dumbass. It'll work out."

Through what appeared to be a great effort, Naruto smiled back at Sasuke brightly.

* * *

Ah, so it's finally happened.

Thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows! 3 Keep 'em coming; I love them.


	11. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is a little late today. I spent all this weekend at Yaoi Con. You understand, right?  
Well, if you're reading something like this, you probably do.

So I've referenced a certain movie scene later in this chapter. I placed a link to 1:15 long Youtube snippet of the entire thing at that point in the story (notice "shower scene" is a link). I couldn't resist.

Thanks for reading. :) Reviews make me happy.

* * *

The bus got off only a couple blocks from Sasuke's home, the sun still comfortably warm as the wind swayed a palm tree here or there. They carried Naruto's belongings together, Sasuke holding the sleeping bag and Naruto lugging the garbage bag. They passed by a long row of houses, some in much better shape than others. They varied widely in size, color, and age.

The change in environment had piqued Naruto's curiosity. Glancing around him, he barraged Sasuke with questions about the neighborhood. Naruto was easily distracted, Sasuke mused.

"Oh, this is nice. When'd ya move here?"

He hadn't heard any of his classmates call the neighborhood "nice." Sasuke's area wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst. It was an obvious downgrade from where he used to live with his parents, which was a large two story house in the nicer part of town with a fruit garden in the back. But he felt comfortable walking around the small expanse of the cul de sac at night, and his neighbors were decent. He supposed this was all he could ask for.

"Last year."

"Where'd ya move from?"

"The west end, past Beach Street."

Naruto whistled.

"Nice part of town. You guys must be loaded."

Sasuke grunted. They hadn't been "loaded," per se. They'd been upper middle class at best, but coming from Naruto's perspective, he supposed they might as well have lived in a mansion.

"Are we there yet?"

Naruto asked too many questions. The Uchiha frowned, cocking his head to a random patch of concrete.

"Yes. Get out of the car."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Sasuke as they finally walked up to his house. There was a small front yard, which was Sasuke's responsibility to maintain. The house was sufficiently large, two stories with grey blue panels and a large white door. Two large windows faced the street, framed in white. A white one car garage lay off to the side, and the door's stoop was made out of brick. Sasuke approached the door, cracking it open as Naruto stared hesitantly from a distance.

"Come on. No one's home."

Of course, this was no surprise to Sasuke. Fridays were some of Itachi's busiest days, and Sasuke knew not to expect him until well after dark. Naruto timidly approached the home, waiting for Sasuke to enter and begrudgingly confirm once again that they were alone. Naruto whistled as he breached the threshold.

"You've got a nice place here, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded. His home was at the lower end of middle class - nice but nothing luxurious. It was nothing compared to his old place. He had come to dislike his new home, but not for this reason. Rather, he missed the old house and the memories that belonged with it. While practical enough, his house left him feeling empty. Sometimes he still felt like he was staying at a hotel, especially since he was so often there alone.

The floors were hardwood, and the walls were cream and bare, with a rare painting or picture here or there. As they walked through a short hallway from the door, the living room lay in front of them. A blue carpet started as the hallway turned into the living room, which housed a black sofa and a three foot television. The hardwood floor resumed where the living room led into the kitchen, which had a convenient little island in the middle. While the home was in nice shape and was well kept, it did appear to be very sparsely furnished. Really, the two boys hadn't had much time in the past year to fill everything out.

"Alright. Since you're going to be staying here while I'm at school, you'll need to remember where everything is and how it works. Itachi's gone almost every school day until past midnight, so unless you hear the garage door open, you're in the clear."

Naruto nodded.

"So here are the living room and the kitchen, obviously. Don't use the stove. It's been acting up lately. And the office..."

Sasuke opened a door from the kitchen which let into a study. There was a large bookcase, most of which was filled with Itachi's law textbooks. There was a large desk, a desktop PC, and a world map on the wall, along with a couple of reading glasses on the desk.

"This is more my brother's room than mine. There's another PC up in my room."

Naruto was silent.

"Normally, I can't get you to shut up. You're creeping me out."

The blond shook his head.

"It's just... It kinda feels funny that I'm staying here, somewhere...nice. Maybe I'm a little...overwhelmed?"

Sasuke nodded, understanding where Naruto was coming from. This was a big change for Sasuke. Someone he'd just met short of two months ago was moving in with him, and he wasn't going to tell a soul. But for Naruto? He was leaving everything he had been familiar with. That is, except for Sasuke.

"Right. Want to watch some TV?"

"That sounds amazing," Naruto beamed.

Sasuke smirked, walking Naruto over to the television. He hoped that this would allow Naruto to steadily acclimatize without overloading him. He showed Naruto which remote did what. Naruto claimed that he understood, but this was soon contradicted when any attempts at changing the channel resulted in static. The boys took a seat on opposite ends of the couch. Sasuke had Naruto turn on the television and change the channels so that he'd remember what he'd learned. Finally falling on Adventure Time, Naruto settled with a grin on his face.

"I remember this show! It was getting popular just before I left."

"Left?"

Naruto searched for words.

"Ah... I mean my last foster family. I left them about a year ago."

Sasuke leaned back.

"You haven't been homeless that long, have you?"

Naruto chuckled, "Well, it seems a lot longer when you're out there. But no, I guess I haven't."

Sasuke nodded, quietly allowing his upper body to rest on his thighs.

"There must be a lot to learn."

Naruto nodded quickly and emphatically.

"Yes! I had no idea about any of this stuff when I left! It was like when you run off as a kid and you expect to be able to exist on a box of cookies."

Sasuke gave Naruto an odd look, secretly glad that he was finally acting like himself again. He was sure that this relief would fade soon enough, when all attempts to silence him would fail miserably.

"You didn't really leave with a box of cookies, did you?"

Naruto laughed nervously.

"Well... I actually just took a box of Captain Crunch and a jumbo bag of Skittles. I figured...you know, calories I guess?"

Somehow, the image of Naruto running off with a arm full of junk food didn't seem implausible. Sasuke had run away once, at the age of seven. It lasted for only three hours, but even then, he had done a better job of preparing for vagrancy than Naruto had.

"I was totally clueless until I met this other older bum. His name was Jiraiya, and he was really creepy, but he was kind of cool in a way too. ...Though creepy. Definitely creepy. He was like my mentor. He taught me the ways of the hobo. But I gotta admit that I still don't really know what I'm doing."

He didn't know how much he liked the idea of some creepy older bum "showing Naruto the ropes." A guy like Naruto wouldn't even see it coming if he'd been crossed.

"So you ran away?"

Naruto pretended not to hear Sasuke, allegedly distracted by the television. This was transparent to the Uchiha. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto laughed a little too loudly at the next joke. With a sigh, he figured that this was none of his business anyway.

Sasuke browsed through his cell phone as he waited for the cartoon to finish, finding little interest in it. It kept Naruto engaged, however, and his posture was becoming much more relaxed. He had a few text messages from Suigetsu, which he ignored. When the show was over, Naruto grinned at Sasuke.

"Man, it's been forever since I've sat down and watched a show like this. Watchin' stuff on displays gets old fast."

Sasuke cast Naruto a nod. He couldn't remember the last time he'd given a damn about watching television, or getting on the computer, or any of the other stuff he normally did. It was simply a given. To take such joy out of something so simple... It was beyond him.

"Well, show me the rest of your crib! I can't wait to see your room. I bet it's all tidy and spiffy."

Sasuke arched a brow.

"'Spiffy'? Who uses that word anymore?"

Naruto mimicked Sasuke's expression, mocking him.

"I'm trying to be _ironic_, Sasuke. Duh."

Sasuke stood, turning the television off.

"Come on, idiot."

Naruto followed Sasuke close behind as he took the stairs from the corner of the living room, ascending to the second floor. The entire upper floor was covered in wall-to-wall cut pile carpet. It was a simple layout, a long hallway stretching down to the wall on the opposite side of the floor. Sasuke guided Naruto down the hall, pointing at the doors along the way.

"So on the right side, there's the door to my room, and the door to my bathroom. This is basically my half of the top floor."

Naruto scrunched his nose, pointing.

"What's that door to the left?"

Sasuke shook his head, "That's Itachi's room. You must never go there, Simba."

Naruto chuckled, glad to hear Sasuke attempt comedy for once, "And what did Simba do? Charge right in there in a day."

Sasuke approached his bedroom, turning the knob.

"That would be exceptionally stupid of you."

Sasuke's room was covered with the same white carpet, the walls painted a dark blue with various band posters taped on the walls. Sasuke's room looked a lot more worn in than the rest of the house, which surprised Naruto. If anything, he expected Sasuke to be a very minimalistic person. Naruto took a good look, making a mental note of the raven's tastes: Sublime, Pulp Fiction, Led Zeppelin, some obscure bands called Mother Mother and Soft Bullets... Not bad, Naruto mused.

His room was neatly dusted and vacuumed, everything folded and in order. Naruto wondered at how a teenage boy, younger than him no less, could keep his room so tidy. Naruto had been scolded for the disheveled state of his room up until he did away with housing altogether.

There was a small TV which Sasuke had picked up at the Salvation Army on the dresser, with an X-Box hooked up. His neatly made bed was a full, extra long to accommodate Sasuke's quickly growing height. A clunky computer sat on his desk, with large speakers and a two-liter of Diet Coke on the right of it.

Naruto edged closer to Sasuke, waggling his eyebrows.

"So, this where all the magic happens?"

"So to speak."

"A TV and a computer? We are _set_."

Sasuke crossed his arms, shifting his weight to one foot as the other rested outward.

"The computer is a little glitchy. I just put it together a month ago and have a few kinks to work out."

Naruto gaped at Sasuke.

"Put together? As in... You _made_ it?"

"No, I _grew_ it."

For an instant, Naruto seemed to consider this.

"What are you, some kind of genius?"

The teen shrugged.

"I had two weeks with no school, a bunch of spare parts, and access to Google."

The blond shook his head, blue eyes wide.

"Whatever, man. Last time I opened up a computer... I'll leave out the details, but there were clouds of smoke."

"That's hardly reassuring."

Naruto swatted at Sasuke dismissively.

"I'm not gonna open your precious computer, princess."

Sasuke arched a brow.

"I'm afraid you're the damsel in distress here."

Naruto pouted.

"Hey, I was _not_ in distress. I was doing just fine."

The taller of the two cast him a look which needed no commentary.

"Alright, alright. So are you my prince charming? Knight in shining armor? The main man in tight..."

Sasuke lifted his hand, interrupting Naruto, "That's enough."

Naruto pushed Sasuke's hand out of the way, not to be deterred.

"Is it? Because I think I have a few odes I've yet to compose for you. Got a canvas? I could paint you."

Resting his hands in his pockets, Sasuke looked out the window.

"Mn. Like one of your French girls?"

Sasuke edged away from Naruto as he pushed him playfully in the arm.

"Exactly! See, you really are a genius."

He knew that Naruto felt something toward him that was beyond friendship. If not in his words, or his voice, it was all over his face. Whether Naruto was aware of this fact or not was beyond him.

"Naturally."

Were they...flirting? This could easily be dismissed as banter, but was it really only that? He watched Naruto's gestures, the subtleties in his movements. Sasuke wondered if it was prudent to play into it. After all, he didn't want to lead Naruto on, especially given their living situation. But even if it were flirting, Sasuke hated to admit that he had come to enjoy it.

"Why do I keep complimenting you?" Naruto sighed, "I never learn..."

"No, you don't. Anyway... You need to get cleaned up, and your wounds need tended to. Itachi should be home in a few hours, so you should take a shower while you still can."

The blond scrunched his nose.

"Are you trying to tell me I stink?"

"I wasn't, but you do. Come here."

Sasuke rummaged through his clothing, glancing at Naruto to assess his stature and height. It appeared that either Naruto preferred baggy clothing, or it was the only thing he had access to. Unfortunately for these purposes, Sasuke didn't have any old clothing. He had, however, grown a good amount this year, and thus had some smaller items lying around.

"How's this?"

He tossed Naruto an Audioslave T-shirt and some black and red flannel pajama pants. Naruto seemed to hitch as he caught Sasuke's clothing, recovering soon after.

"Hell, I can't complain."

Sasuke nodded.

"Right. I suppose this is a good time to show you my bathroom."

He closed the bedroom door behind him, quickly covering the three foot gap to the bathroom door. They were so close to each other that Sasuke wondered why the two rooms weren't connected. Now, more than ever, he wished that they were.

Sasuke taught Naruto how to operate the shower, which featured a small bath tub and glass doors. Naruto learned well enough, agreeing not to get the floor wet as Sasuke left Naruto's outfit on the toilet seat.

"Scrub lightly. We'll take care of your wounds once you're dressed."

Naruto nodded with a smile, the door closing neatly behind him. He turned on the shower water, holding his hand out as the water slowly warmed. He glanced towards the door, hesitating before holding Sasuke's clothes up to his chest and inhaling deeply.

Though they had just been washed, they still had retained some of Sasuke's scent. It made him feel safe, protected, and even loved. It offered him comfort, which had been rare for him to come by for most of his life. It muted his budding anxieties. Despite the fact that Sasuke was almost a year younger than him, he wondered if this was like having a father or older brother.

He smiled softly as the water began to steam. It had been months since his last real shower. Padding himself clean in park restrooms could be rather lacking, but at least shaving wasn't an issue. He hadn't developed much facial hair yet, possibly because he was malnourished. He slipped his clothes off, goosebumps covering his body as he adjusted to the heat of the water.

Naruto loved the feeling of the hot water against his body, a luxury so rare to him now. He wanted to prolong it, to feel his muscles and ligaments relax as he stretched into the heat. His joints and muscles ached from sleeping on the streets. Naruto rubbed at the sore areas, the warm water acting as a salve. He gently removed the crusted blood on his face and the dust in his lacerations. He was able to groom himself thoroughly, cleaner now than he had been in months. He only hoped the water bill wouldn't be too high.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was spilling over his history book at his desk, attempting to tackle some weekend homework. But his mind was relaying everything that happened today. His emotions after seeing Naruto's face today disturbed him. Why had he allowed himself to be so affected? And now, he'd allowed (ordered, rather) this homeless guy he'd met a couple months ago to hide in his room. As crazy as this all was, if put in the situation again, he wouldn't have changed a thing.

He heard the water splatter in the other room as Naruto would move his arms, splash his hair, whatever he was doing in there. Naruto was naked and wet, just feet away... Sasuke lifted one leg over the other uncomfortably, thoroughly unsettled by the growing issue in his lap. He couldn't let Naruto see him like this.

He thought about Naruto's hair, his lips, his eyes... His eyes were so brilliantly blue that in any other situation, Sasuke might have wondered if he was wearing colored contacts. Sasuke sighed angrily, rubbing his temple with his thumb as his head rested in his hand. Naruto had been in there over thirty minutes now. What was taking him so long?

He'd generally been able to control his attractions. When was the last time he'd done something so prepubescent? And when had he ever been attracted to another male? His father would have been beside himself. Maybe it wasn't that, Sasuke reasoned. Maybe it was just his hormones. His body was intent on being horny and would rise to any bait. But he had to stop. He couldn't think about him anymore.

_"If I should stay... I would onlyyy be in your waa..."_

Naruto cleared his throat.

_"Your waaaay."_

Sasuke stopped cold in his tracks, staring over at the restroom in consternation. Seriously? Was Naruto forgetting where he was? What guy their age sung Whitney Houston in another guy's bathroom? But he had to admit, it had taken care of his little dilemma very quickly.

And it continued. Naruto had no shame. When he forgot the words, he would mumble over the lyrics. He also seemed to like repeating lines, experimenting with different octaves and flourishes. Somehow, this four minute song was stretching onward into the evening.

And that's when Sasuke heard the garage door open.

Itachi wasn't supposed to come home for hours. Why was he back so early? Did it even matter? Itachi seemed to be in a rush to get inside, for who knows what reason. Sasuke heard his footsteps plodding towards the office. Of course, this had to be when Naruto arrived at the final chorus.

_"AND I. WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU."_

What would he do now? He couldn't yell. Naruto could never hear him knocking over all of this racket, and he didn't exactly have time to test it out. Sasuke raced across his room, stepping lightly. He swung his bedroom door open and slid himself into the bathroom, shielding his eyes with his hand out of courtesy.

"What the hell, Sasuke?! I know I'm hot, but show a little restraint for Christ's sake!"

He knew that it was difficult to hear this side of the floor from the office, and he prayed that his brother wouldn't notice. Hopefully the noise of the shower had drowned them out. God, what sort of picture did those words paint out of context?

Sasuke whispered venomously, "Shut up! Itachi's..."

Naruto arched his brow, "What's wrong? Haven't you ever seen Bulletproof? The shower scene? I'm Adam Sandler, the experienced but lovable criminal and you're…that cop guy who is tough as nails but can just never let go of the Adam Sandler character because dammit, he loved him and what they shared was real despite…"

In all of his naked glory, Naruto seemed completely unbothered by Sasuke's presence. His words blurred together as he enthusiastically gained momentum.

"Just shut the hell up!"

Sasuke continued to shield his face, though Naruto was staring directly at Sasuke with no traces of modesty.

"That's what the cop said, word for word! So you _did_ watch..."

Sasuke tried not to fantasize about smacking Naruto in the face. Patience, patience. How could he be so stupid?

"_Listen to me_," Sasuke hissed. "Itachi's home. One peep from you, and I will never give you an In N Out burger again for the rest of our friendship. Got it?"

Total silence from Naruto. It would seem that the threat had achieved its deserved effect.

Naruto whispered to Sasuke, "That's really messed up, man."

"Now be good. Or else."

As Sasuke walked towards the door, Naruto added, "It's a shame you're going."

Sasuke arched a brow, angling his head towards Naruto but avoiding eye contact.

"Why?"

Naruto faced away, his tone nervous.

"I like it when you're nearby. It makes me feel safe."

Sasuke unwittingly froze. It was rare for Naruto to act so vulnerable.

"This isn't awkward for you?"

It was a strange request, after all.

"I got nothin' to hide."

Was this still in the territory of the platonic? Did it matter? Sasuke had been trying to read their dynamics, trying to determine where their conversations were heading. But maybe it was best to just follow the current.

"It may be safer, in case Itachi tries to relay a message to me in here."

It was a remote scenario, but it was possible nonetheless. He couldn't very well respond to Itachi with his voice coming from the bedroom when the shower had been running for as long as Itachi had been home. And considering the situation, it was best to be safe. He had no other interests, of course.

"Right. So stay."

Sasuke smelled his own shampoo and conditioner, water splattering as Naruto stretched his arm. He quickly glanced over at Naruto, temptation getting the best of him. He was thin, but it could have been worse considering the appearance of his elbows and shoulders. There was a deep scar running along Naruto's side, several inches long, and a fresh gash above Naruto's tailbone. But other than that, there were no abnormalities. He stopped his thoughts there. After all, he didn't want to end up with the same issue he had in his bedroom.

"I'm almost done."

"I would hope so. You've been in there nearly an hour."

Naruto scratched his cheek.

"Yeah... Sorry about that. It was stupid of me to use up so much water."

The water must have been piping hot, a dense steam accumulating over the length of Naruto's shower. Sweat budded around Sasuke's temples, the back of his neck, and his chest. His shirt was sticking to him uncomfortably, so he lifted it over his head and placed it in his lap.

Now it was Naruto's eyes that were wandering. Sasuke had made it a point to attend the gym frequently. He found that he studied and learned better after a heavy workout, so it served multiple purposes. His muscles were dense, defined lines tracing down his creamy pale chest. Sasuke had what some might call a baby face,

but he looked much farther through puberty with his shirt off.

Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, who was blindly scrubbing his stomach as he stared at Sasuke. Perhaps other men would be disturbed if they caught a male friend checking them out. But Sasuke merely smirked.

"You seem rather engrossed."

Naruto looked away quickly, making a point of quickly scrubbing his body off and rinsing down.

"No, 'm just tired. I was spacing out."

"Clearly."

Naruto's cheeks began to darken. He hadn't wanted to be so obvious. He finished his shower, turning the water off. Noting the change in Naruto's mood, Sasuke tossed him a thick blue towel.

"Don't stress. I take it as a compliment."

As Sasuke should have perhaps expected, Naruto scratched the back of his head with a nervous smile.

"Thanks, man."

It didn't take Naruto long to dry off. He quickly toweled off his body, his hair fluffing outwards after he'd scrubbed the towel through it a few times. Sasuke averted his eyes as Naruto exited the shower, dressing himself in Sasuke's clothes.

Perhaps Sasuke was being superficial, but things always seemed so different when Naruto wore anything other than his traditional rags. He knew that Naruto was more than just some random bum, but dressed as he normally was, it was difficult for Sasuke to forget that Naruto was, in fact, a bum. But now, Naruto could have been a friend from school, or a study partner. They didn't have to have met in a soup kitchen. Naruto could have been anyone.

As Naruto walked towards the bathroom door, Sasuke yanked the blond back by his wrist.

"Your injuries first."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Sasuke, please. I've had worse."

Sasuke frowned and crossed his arms.

"That was an order, not a request. Those gashes are open and vulnerable to infection, and I am not spending hours in some overcrowded clinic waiting room because you're too lazy to use Neosporin."

Naruto groaned like a child being dragged to brush his teeth.

Sasuke continued, "I don't trust you to do a proper job, so sit on the toilet and face me."

The younger rummaged through his medicine cabinet, taking out Neosporin, a couple butterfly closures, Q-tips, and a box of bandaids. Sasuke had gotten in his fair share of altercations over the past year, so he knew how to tend to wounds. He knew what would and wouldn't scar, what needed gauze, what needed butterfly closures, and what could be fixed with just a Bandaid. But since his brother had been forced to fight for him in court, he had painstakingly avoided all other conflict. It was the least he could do after all the fuss he had caused.

Sasuke crouched next to Naruto, turning on the sink lights and gently angling Naruto's face toward him. Naruto's toes wiggled against the ground. Where should he place his gaze? Should he look at the ceiling? The mirror? Directly into Sasuke's eyes? Why the hell did Sasuke still have to be shirtless?

Sasuke started by tending to a gash by Naruto's cheekbone. This was the most obvious damage, but Sasuke believed that he could prevent it from scarring if he was careful. He softly rubbed Neosporin into the cut with a Q-tip, ignoring Naruto's wincing. He placed a butterfly closure on it, scrunching the skin together. As abrasive as Sasuke could sometimes be, Sasuke worked quickly and gently. Perhaps he would make a good doctor after all, despite a probable lack of bedside manner.

Sasuke now rubbed Neosporin in to the scrapes around Naruto's bruised eye, checking the skin for infection. As Sasuke dabbed on the Neosporin, his long bang bounced against his bottom lip. Naruto was overwhelmed by the temptation to lean forward and kiss him. It caused Naruto to bite his lip in nervousness, wondering if his thoughts could be broadcasted against his will. Sasuke would knit his brows when a piece of flesh was being stubborn, or when he found wounds that were worse than he had thought. Naruto smiled, feeling thoroughly content through every pang and pinch.

Finally, Sasuke had finished Naruto's face. After Sasuke catered to a few of the deeper scratches on Naruto's forearms, Naruto leaned to get back on his feet.

Sasuke interrupted, "There was one other wound...on your back."

Naruto smirked, grinning at Sasuke mischievously, "When'd you notice that one, hm?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, appearing frustrated. His retort was delayed.

"How could I not look over with all of that horrible noise you were making? I was afraid you were having some kind of attack."

Sasuke pouted irately as Naruto chuckled. He was told he could be gullible, but even Naruto could see through such a feeble excuse. He did his best impression of his new roommate.

"Don't stress. I take it as a compliment."

Naruto winked at Sasuke, who only scoffed.

"Just turn around, jackass."

Still chuckling triumphantly to himself, Naruto turned around, now facing the wall. Sasuke lifted up Naruto's shirt, the blond wincing as the fabric parted from the sensitive skin. Sasuke rested his forearm on Naruto's upper back, leaning down to get a closer look. The steam and foggy shower doors had previously obstructed his view. The wound was red and inflamed, even deeper than he had suspected. It was possible that Naruto hadn't even tended to it at all.

"What the hell did he do to you?"

Naruto began to laugh nervously.

"Oh, he was just crazy."

Sasuke froze.

"No. Tell me what he did. Did he have a knife?"

There was a heavy silence between them.

"Yeah."

Sasuke sighed, resting his head on his forearm.

"Fucking Christ, Naruto…"

Naruto frowned, feeling Sasuke's worried breath mist down on his bare back.

"He just grazed me. He didn't want to hurt me. It only happened because…"

Sasuke grit his teeth, his blood beginning to boil. Itachi was right below them, so he had to keep his voice steady. God was it tempting to shout.

Sasuke whispered, poison in his tone, "You could have fucking died, Naruto. He could have _killed_ you. And the more you make excuses for that pathetic son of a bitch, the more I want to find him and take his guts from his stomach to the fucking sidewalk."

Naruto craned his head around to face the younger male, eyes hitching with uncertainty. This wasn't Sasuke. Sasuke could be contrary sometimes, but deep down, he was kind, generous, and safe. He was a good person.

Naruto would have normally dismissed such a statement as idle venting. But something in the way Sasuke had spoken… Naruto wondered if he was being serious. The reason they had met in the first place had been a violent fight. Perhaps he didn't know Sasuke as much as he thought he did. Perhaps he wasn't as gentle as Naruto would have liked to believe.

"You done staring, Uzumaki?"

Naruto's eyes, innocent and surprised, made him feel almost guilty. He had, mostly, spoken out anger. But he did want to find this man. He did want to make him pay. He would figure something out in those regards tomorrow, but Naruto was his first priority now.

Sasuke dabbed Neosporin into the crevices of the injury, hoping that it would be enough. Should he be taking Naruto to the clinic after all? Sasuke decided to use some larger butterfly closures, getting up and scrounging the medicine cabinet. He sat behind Naruto, who had yet to make a sound.

Sasuke's body was still tense, his anger with the situation not yet abated. A deep frown on his face, his thumb slowly traced the other deep scar running along Naruto's side. He ran his palm down the flat of Naruto's bare back smoothly, almost a caress.

Naruto blushed at the intimacy of the situation, glad that he was no longer facing Sasuke. Sasuke had never been good with words in such situations, but his touch did the talking for him. It told Naruto that Sasuke was afraid. It told him that if he didn't take better care of himself, one of these scars might end up being the last.

He placed a chaste kiss on Naruto's shoulder. Sasuke wasn't sure why he did this, but it seemed fitting. Naruto held his breath unwittingly, an ache in his chest reminding him to breathe. His palms tingled at the contact of Sasuke's lips on his body, and he felt sick to his stomach. This probably meant little to Sasuke, but it threw Naruto's world into chaos.

"Naruto, be more careful."

The words, though authoritative, held a vulnerability which Sasuke did a poor job at concealing. It frightened him how quickly Naruto was becoming important to him. And he knew all too well how quickly these important people could be taken from you. He did not want to lose Naruto.

Naruto sighed. Sasuke didn't understand. There was no "being careful" for him. This was his life, plain and simple. But still, he could not remember the last time someone had expressed such concern over him. What was more, Sasuke did not seem the type to express such concern towards _anyone_. He was profoundly honored by Sasuke's touches, by his worry, and by his compassion. His heartbeat raced, and he felt truly content. Through a deep blush, Naruto smiled.

Sasuke held the skin together, pinning either side with the butterfly closures. The flesh was already partially healed, which made binding it difficult. He noted Naruto's muscles tensing in pain, and he worked as quickly as he could without compromising his work. Sasuke would wait for the next day to see if his first aid would suffice. He rolled gauze over it, using medical tape to fasten it to tan skin.

"Alright. Wait here."

Sasuke didn't bother to put his shirt back on, opening the door and eyeing the hallway. Sasuke cocked his head to indicate that the hallway was empty. Naruto and he lightly scrambled to his bedroom. Sasuke had Naruto stay behind when he walked downstairs, placing a frozen pizza in the oven. Itachi approached Sasuke, a pen behind his ear.

"Hey, Sasuke. What are you up to?"

It was at that unfortunate moment that Sasuke finally made a connection. The shower had just been running...yet his hair wasn't wet. How could he have disregarded this? He felt like punching himself. And of course, his brother... His brother, the _prodigy_ wouldn't miss a thing. It was time to think of an explanation...quickly.

"Other than having Sharpies break in my lap, not much."

This would do, right? Thank god Itachi hadn't seen his outfit before coming in. Itachi chuckled, ruffling Sasuke's hair. Sasuke merely rolled his eyes.

"Nice one. I was wondering why you were in there so long."

He was grateful that Itachi hadn't even been home for the majority of Naruto's shower. Sasuke opened the freezer and skimmed over the cooking instructions. It wasn't often he ate pizza, so he had to refresh his memory.

"I was only scrubbing my skin raw."

Itachi shook his head, smiling.

"I didn't think you were so clumsy. So, how was school?"

As Sasuke responded, he slid the pizza into the oven, setting the timer. Itachi never used to ask him these questions, and it still felt unnatural to him. It sometimes seemed like he was trying too hard to make the transition from Sasuke's brother to Sasuke's caretaker. So he would ask him all the things their mother did, and when Sasuke misbehaved, he'd show Sasuke the stern face as did their father. However, Sasuke sincerely doubted that he could've done any better in Itachi's situation.

"Uneventful. How was work?"

Itachi sighed, but he quickly made an effort to return the smile to his face. Itachi did this frequently, Sasuke noted. It was as if he felt guilty ever complaining to Sasuke, and the tendency became much more pronounced once Itachi became the head of the household.

"It was fine."

Sasuke frowned, leaning back against the wall.

"You can be honest with me."

Itachi edged in towards Sasuke, pressing his pointer and middle finger against his brows, which he did not realize had become tense. The familiar gesture reassured him, though he still felt frustrated at being evaded.

"Don't worry about me, Sasuke. You have your own troubles."

It wasn't that he wanted to force his way into Itachi's business. He just wanted to be regarded as Itachi's brother and equal rather than his child. Their parents might be gone, but why did this have to change their relationship? Regardless, Sasuke allowed this to placate him.

"You're the one who's worrying. I'm fine, 'Tachi. I always am."

Itachi didn't appear to buy that for a second, but still, the corners of his lips rose as he addressed Sasuke.

"If you _must_ know, I got yelled at today for a colleague's mistake. My boss sent me home early because he wanted me out of his sight, in his own words."

Sasuke was glad that Itachi had shared this with him, but the treatment Itachi had been receiving at work did annoy him. This wasn't rare for Itachi. From what Sasuke had heard, his boss was a total asshole. Itachi only kept the job because they needed a steady stream of income, and the job market was abysmal.

"Maybe you should start looking for another job. He always pulls this crap on you."

Itachi frowned and shook his head.

"The pay is great, and it's giving us both health insurance. It's even waiving my tuition. It would be crazy to switch."

Sasuke glanced up at Itachi. He was always making sacrifices for them. He was more than lucky to have Itachi around, but he hated to see him so unhappy.

"After my sixteenth, I'll get my own job. Then you won't have to work for that son of a bitch anymore."

Itachi beamed back at Sasuke, finding his determination thoroughly endearing. Yet he still shook his finger, tsk'ing.

"Enough with the dirty mouth."

They used to talk to each other like that all the time. Itachi's mouth wasn't as dirty as Sasuke's, but neither made an effort to clean up their speech around the other. But now, suddenly... Now that Itachi was Sasuke's _parent_, the man must've found it his responsibility.

"Fine, whatever."

Itachi placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Itachi had always been the more physical of the two, but from Itachi, Sasuke didn't mind it.

"Thank you, Sasuke. You're a good brother."

Sasuke shrugged, feigning apathy. It was humiliating for Sasuke to admit how praise from Itachi could uplift his entire night, humiliating to admit how much he admired him. And he wondered if Itachi was really right about that. Was he really a good brother?

"If I'm going to get any sleep tonight, I should start preparing for my case studies next week."

Sasuke nodded. He realized that Itachi would shut himself in the office until the early hours of Saturday morning. Then, before Sasuke even woke up, Itachi would make the nearly two hour long trek to UCLA to join his study groups, after which he'd meet with all of the other teacher's assistants and grade some papers.

"G'night."

He usually saw Itachi for a handful of hours every week at best. Those few hours that he did spend with Itachi, he was generally unable to do anything with Sasuke due to either fatigue or these pesky stomach bugs he kept catching. Sometimes he didn't even come home at all, camping out in the school library or a friend's house to avoid rush hour the next day. As lonely as this made him feel, Sasuke knew that he was getting the better end of the bargain.

"Goodnight, Sasuke."


	12. Chapter 10

Sasuke didn't have to wait long for the pizza to finish. As he trudged up the stairs, he heard Itachi yell from below.

"Sasuke, you better not be bringing that pizza upstairs. You know you're not allowed to have food in your room."

Sasuke disregarded the request, pretending not to hear Itachi. After all, he couldn't exactly bring Naruto down to the kitchen. He heard Itachi groan below him.

"Why do I even bother..."

Sasuke smirked. It was a silly rule, really. He never made messes, though he wasn't sure he could say the same thing about his room's new occupant. Lights seemed to ignite behind bright sapphire eyes when the door was opened, revealing his new friend with a pan full of freshly baked pizza.

"Make one spill, and we're done for. You're eating like a civilized human being this time."

"Well, what else would I do?"

Sasuke handed Naruto a plate and a napkin, sitting down next to him and facing the television.

"I wonder," he responded sarcastically.

Naruto quickly took a large bite of the pizza, holding his mouth over his plate and stifling his agony.

"What's this cheese made out of, magma? _Shit_."

Sasuke meanwhile patiently waited for his own slice to cool. He flicked on the television, quickly settling on House. Naruto had never watched the show before, but he seemed to find it amusing nonetheless. Of course, the blond had to keep his laughs very quiet, and his difficulty in doing so was readily apparent.

Before commercial break had hit, Naruto had already finished three slices of pizza. Sasuke said nothing. He knew that Naruto could stand to be teased, but he didn't want him to feel guilty about eating his food. He was glad that Naruto was getting his fill; he wanted his friend to get stronger. Eventually, only one slice of pizza remained. And Sasuke had hardly finished his own.

Naruto stared down at the empty plate sheepishly, "You should take this one. I ate like...the whole thing."

Sasuke shook his head, "I'm not hungry."

This, actually, wasn't a lie. Despite Sasuke's quick growth in recent years and frequent gym trips, he tended to have a modest appetite. Besides, he preferred healthier food than pizza.

"Pft. No wonder you're so thin!"

Sasuke raised a perfect brow.

"_You're_ getting on _me_ for being thin?"

Naruto didn't wait to grab the last piece of pizza, taking a large bite. His speech was obscured by his food.

"I'm... _I'm_ a work in progress. It won't take me long to put on my weight, because unlike some people," Naruto took another bite and pointed at Sasuke, "I know how to eat."

Sasuke smiled at Naruto crookedly. "It won't take me long," he had said. Thus indicating that he was planning on sticking around.

"I can see that."

Sasuke ventured downstairs another time to do the dishes, choosing to stay in his room for the remainder of the evening. They stayed up late, watching whatever they could find on television in his room, and Sasuke showed Naruto a few new viral videos on Youtube that he had missed. They had watched nyan cat for a solid five minutes before Sasuke laid down the law and closed the relevant tab. Naruto was thoroughly disappointed.

The same activities would have felt mundane and dull with anyone else. Watching TV and viral videos with a friend didn't exactly sound captivating. Yet it was something else to show these things to someone so genuinely enthusiastic and appreciative. It made them feel fresh and new, even if Naruto's intensely chipper attitude sometimes annoyed Sasuke.

It was Sasuke's decision when they finally decided to go to bed. Unfortunately, Itachi's sleeping bag was in the garage. He couldn't have Naruto bringing out his own supplies, which were far too dusty. His bed was large enough to fit the two of them, but that... Perhaps it was a bad idea. He took his thick comforter off, folding it up by the closet and lying an extra pillow out, along with a sheet.

"Remember the drill. If Itachi asks to come in, _quietly_ move into the closet, and leave the comforter by the bed."

Naruto wrapped his arm around Sasuke's shoulders, leaning inward.

"So, do you normally store hobos in your closet, or am I just that special?"

"Don't get full of yourself," Sasuke warned.

Naruto smirked, soon after frowning as thoughts ushered his mind elsewhere.

"Hey, Sasuke, how long do you think this is gonna work?"

Sasuke sighed, the corners of his own lips declining.

"I can't imagine more than a few days. We're going to have to figure out a backup plan, but I'm too tired for that now."

Naruto nodded as the Uchiha pointed towards Naruto's rather shoddy setup.

"We'll figure something better out tomorrow, when Itachi's gone."

Naruto lay down and wrapped himself in the comforter, his small blond head looking almost comical poking out of the billowy sheet.

"Pft, what are you talking about? This is just fine."

Sasuke would let this go for now, but he would not allow Naruto to sleep on the floor for any longer than he had to. Without his comforter, Sasuke curled tightly into himself for warmth. It was a particularly cold night, and it was actually making it difficult for Sasuke to fall asleep. However, just as he had begun to drift off, there was a whisper from the other side of the room.

"Sasuke."

Not wanting to lose whatever modest progress he'd made in finally losing consciousness, Sasuke ignored him.

"Sasuke!"

Rubbing his eyes with his forearm, Sasuke groaned. Dammit, now he'd never get back to sleep.

"What?"

Naruto whispered, "I have to pee."

How helpless was this kid?

"So?"

"Your brother keeps roaming the halls. What if I get caught?"

Sasuke grabbed the newspaper on his bed stand and tossed it to Naruto.

"Here, take care of it."

"Very funny, asshole. Now, if you don't want your room to smell like piss, figure something out."

They actually avoided confrontation adeptly. Naruto made a valiant effort to only leave the room when positively necessary. As Naruto finally drifted into sleep, Sasuke went over everything that had happened today. It had been tiring, both physically and emotionally.

Sasuke's emotional side tended to be rather dormant, so the change in pace left Sasuke a little unsettled. He was glad to have Naruto next to him, where he knew he was safe. He didn't have to worry about him now; that much had been attended to. But tomorrow, he would have his revenge.

By the time Naruto woke up on Saturday morning, Sasuke had already spent three hours at his desk studying. Naruto had easily slept twelve hours, which was something he had clearly needed. He was surprised to be greeted with the scent of Sasuke's house and the sight of carpet as his eyes opened, his memory soon after filling in the gaps. He could hardly believe what had transpired. A sleepy grin rested on his lips. It felt wonderful to have a roof over his head, with Sasuke no less. The entire house smelled like him.

"Good morning, princess," Sasuke teased, not bothering to look over from his textbook.

Naruto squinted as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, yawning.

"Good morning, bastard."

They sat for several moments silently as Naruto became more alert. Naruto noted that Sasuke had already dressed himself.

"Anything on the agenda today?"

Sasuke nodded, responding curtly, "Yeah. Now get dressed."

Sasuke handed Naruto a pair of his skinny jeans and one of his T-shirts.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Sasuke knew that if he explained the situation to Naruto from the get-go, he would never agreed to it. But ever since the moment he had woken up, he had patiently waited for Naruto to arise so that he could find the man who had attacked him.

Naruto grunted unknowingly, stripping down in his corner of the room without announcement. Sasuke averted his eyes, finding the behavior odd but not bothering to mention it. Over the ruffling of clothing, he heard Naruto whine.

"God, these pants are so tight! Why would you ever wear something so uncomfortable?"

He knew that the pants weren't too small on Naruto. Perhaps he was just accustomed to pants several sizes too large.

"Stop whining."

There was more rummaging and a thud as Naruto stomped his foot down to keep his balance, followed by a few straining noises.

"No! How do you even have room for your dick? What are you packing under there, an acorn?"

Sasuke frowned, "I don't see how your inability to put on properly sized clothing has anything to do with my dick. Do you even have them up past your thighs?"

"Almost," Naruto admitted, wiggling into the pants.

There were a few more shimmying movements until blond exhaled victoriously.

"But you never answered my question, 'Suke," he sing-songed.

"What am I packing? Hm, wouldn't you like to know."

Sasuke faced Naruto, whose face had flushed lightly as Sasuke snickered. More and more, he was coming to like the sight of Naruto in his clothing. It looked good on him, and it satisfied his protective streak.

Sasuke had to explain things to Naruto on the bus ride to Eighth and J. He assured Naruto that he would not attack the man this morning. Strictly speaking, he was being honest. He didn't want Naruto to be in the middle of something like that, and he didn't want him interfering. No, he would wait until he was alone. He did not want to put Naruto at risk.

Naruto, however, had his reservations.

"Sasuke, are you sure you're not going to try to hurt this guy?"

Sasuke's brows furrowed. He could sidestep the truth, but he could not blatantly lie to Naruto. At least not about something like this. He deserved better than that.

"Don't worry about it."

Naruto frowned, nudging Sasuke's upper arm.

"You're avoiding my question."

Sasuke sighed, wishing Naruto would leave the matter rest.

"I'm not going to try anything funny with you around."

Naruto picked up on the last part of Sasuke's sentence in an instant.

"Not with me around, hm? So are you saying that you're going to try to hurt him when I'm _not_ around?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as the bus jerked to a stop, several occupants coming and going.

"Why do you care? The guy's a piece of trash."

Naruto glared at Sasuke.

"So you _are_. And you tried to get me to play a hand in it."

Sasuke leaned back into the seat, not appreciating the disapproval in Naruto's tone.

"That's better than just letting him go so that he can do the same thing to some other kid. People like that need to be taught a lesson," Sasuke reasoned.

Sasuke was being honest with himself. He knew that this was only a part of the reason he wanted to do this, but it was still a relevant consideration nonetheless.

"That's not your place, Sasuke."

Sasuke voice was becoming frustrated as it rebutted, "Like hell it's not my place. Someone's got to do it."

Naruto clawed Sasuke's upper arm, tearing the raven sideways so that he was forced to face Naruto. His eyes were a furious blue.

"Sasuke, how do you think it would look when you're arrested for picking a fight with a random bum, hm? If I remember right, you missed juvie by a hair. What happened to you wanting to be a doctor? Why do you even bother to study so fucking much if you're going to pull stunts like this? I don't think the legal system is going to be too impressed by your bastard brand of vigilante justice."

Sasuke stared back at Naruto speechlessly. Other than the last part, he would never have expected something so intelligent to leave Naruto's mouth. As much as the words peeved him, he knew that Naruto was being logical. Perhaps he had underestimated Naruto.

That being the case, he had already considered these things. He knew that this was a risky situation, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he even admitted that this was a bad idea. Yet he hadn't wanted to _kill_ the guy. Really just rough him up when the time was right and anonymously turn him over to the law.

"And that's assuming that you _win_ the fight. Who's to say you don't end up like me?"

"I'm not gonna end up like you. I know what I'm doing."

He did. He would come armed, just in case. He'd gotten in fights before - bad ones. And he had scars to prove it. He'd even had someone pull a knife on him once. Of course, the man couldn't have been over the age of twenty. But he ignored that fact.

"Oh?" Naruto asked as he cocked his head at Sasuke, appearing thoroughly unimpressed. "I wonder about that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Naruto smirked.

"Sasuke, you're fifteen. I know you're pissed, but use your fucking brain, okay?"

Sasuke sighed, his body trembling ever so slightly with rage. He had wanted this. No, he had _needed_ it. And his age... Again, his age bit him in the ass, standing in his way when he tried to do what needed to be done. He needed to make this man pay personally. How could someone do this to Naruto? Naruto suffered. Naruto could have died. Sasuke could've been alone, all over again. Just looking at Naruto's bruised face made him want to break bones.

He'd been like this for the past year. Apathetic and calm on the surface, but with a furious core which never seemed to extinguish. It found its various outlets but was never placated. He had once been a much more rational person. Naruto had never seemed like the particularly mature sort, but something about the way he handled himself now made Sasuke feel juvenile in comparison. Sometimes he forgot that he was the younger of the two.

"It's not right."

When Sasuke spoke, his voice shook.

"I have to make it right."

Seeing Sasuke anything other than composed and fully aloof seemed odd to Naruto. Naruto tried to ignore his frustration and see the situation from Sasuke's point of view. He was again shocked at how much Sasuke seemed to care about him. It was either that, or the guy had a nasty case of anger management issues. As frustrating as he could be, Sasuke was a deeper person than Naruto had given him credit for.

"You're mad because you care about me, right?"

Sasuke had no response for that. It was true, but he didn't want to admit to it in words. All the same, his silence spoke for him.

"Well, maybe the reason that I don't want you to do this is because _I_ care about _you_. You're my only friend, and when I say _only_, I mean it. Shit, Sasuke... If you got yourself hurt, imprisoned, or even killed over me, I don't know what I'd do."

Sasuke stared down at his lap as the bus jostled his frame. What was this like for Naruto? No wonder he was so angry. Perhaps if he was really interested in protecting Naruto, he should pay more attention to things like this.

"So please, just give up on this."

Whatever Naruto had said appeared to have gotten through to Sasuke, as the boy lowered his head in silence for a full minute after his speech. He thought about his options before crafting his response.

"I'm not going to let this guy off the hook. I meant it when I said I didn't want this happening to anyone else. So if you're going to talk me out of my 'bastard brand of vigilante justice,' we're at least reporting him to the cops. And following up on it."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke, his face returning to its normally carefree expression. Sasuke took note that Naruto could actually get pretty intense when angry.

"Okay, deal."

Naruto extended his hand.

"But I want you to promise me that you're not going to try to punish him yourself."

Sasuke sighed, staring out the bus window. He hadn't planned on doing that anyhow, but when it was phrased like this, it seemed so binding.

"Naruto, I give you my word that I will leave this douchebag's fate up to the law without interference. Now, would you like me to issue an affidavit?"

They shook on it, like a business agreement or something of the sort. But for Sasuke, that was it. Once he had given his word, there wasn't even an issue to consider. As much as he would still like to rip Naruto's assailant apart, he tried his best to let go of the matter. He had little success, but he hoped that it would get easier as the days passed. He would do this for himself, and he'd do it for Naruto.

Given that the pair of them were already fully dressed and on the bus, it seemed a waste to go home immediately. Sasuke took Naruto grocery shopping, picking up a few of Naruto's favorite treats despite his rather predictable protestations. He also bought Naruto a book of crossword puzzles after finagling Naruto's interest out of him. On the way home, they stopped by the police station to report the man in question.

Upon arriving home, they replaced the comforter with Itachi's sleeping bag. They stored Naruto's sleeping bag in the corner of the garage where Itachi's had been and concealed Itachi's sleeping bag every morning. Sasuke was thankful he had a lock on his door.

Naruto didn't complain when Sasuke spent hours upon hours studying. As had been his custom, he entertained himself. He would occasionally take walks, but more frequently, he would immerse himself with the computer, the television, or Sasuke's Droid smartphone. As a child, he had generally been more interested in playing outside than in things like televisions or computers. However, he had grown to miss them in their absence.

Despite Naruto's general clumsiness, his use of Sasuke's gadgets proved uneventful other than a single occasion. Suddenly, the mouse stopped working. Naruto had noticed a spare mouse in the upper compartment of Sasuke's desk shelf. Opening the shelf, he blindly rummaged for a mouse, but his hands instead grasped a long pill bottle.

Sasuke was showering, so despite the nagging of his conscience, Naruto glanced at the label. It was something called "sertraline." There was a small line of text underneath the bolded title, reading "Also known as: Zoloft."

Resting his hand on his hand, he recounted his interactions with Sasuke. Sasuke didn't seem depressed, but then again, it was difficult to tell considering how stoic Sasuke was. Naruto understood that clinical depression didn't have to be a result of someone's external situations. Nonetheless, it dismayed Naruto that Sasuke was facing this, whatever it was.

Sasuke noticed a decline in Naruto's mood Sunday evening. However, Naruto would not admit to this and made his own inefficient attempts to mask it. Perhaps too quickly, Sunday night arrived. Naruto clearly heard Sasuke's deep breathing from the other side of the room. Naruto had been attempting sleep for nearly two hours and felt not a hair closer.

Naruto enjoyed Sasuke's company. Even if they hardly spoke to each other due to Sasuke's incessant studying, his simple presence reassured him. He wasn't looking forward to being alone all day in an unfamiliar house. Something about it made him anxious and restless. However, given the situation, he was sure he could get used to it.

Giving up on sleep, Naruto discreetly walked over to Sasuke's desk to grab his phone. The light from the computer would often wake Sasuke up, and Naruto knew he had to get up at 6:30 for the bus. He noticed that one of Sasuke's friends, Karin, had sent him a text.

It read, "hey sasuke ;)"

Naruto frowned. That bitch sent him a sideways winky face. He may not be too proficient with technology, but he'd been told about the sideways winky face and all of its implications. He hated to admit how jealous this made him feel.

The message had been sent about a half hour ago, so it was presumable that the girl was still awake. Naruto had wanted to become more involved in Sasuke's life. This was one of Sasuke's _friends_. (Or at least, in theory.) He'd never met a single one of them, and he wondered if he ever would. He had always been so segregated from the majority of Sasuke's life. It felt almost eerie to be holding a device that could put him in direct communication with it. This, combined with his boredom, proved to be a doomed combination.

Naruto typed back to Karin on the touch pad: "helloo. so whats yiup/?"

He'd hit send before he could correct his message. Dammit, he hated these touch screens. They made him feel like he had sausages for fingers, and he could never press the right button. He grimaced, and his face had no time to shift expressions before another text popped up on the screen.

This girl had texted Sasuke's phone thirty minutes ago, and it was the night before Monday. What, did this girl just live attached to her phone? How fast could her thumbs have possibly moved? He had underestimated the typical high school-aged female.

"sasuke, r u drunk or sumthing?"

This was it. He was actually communicating with one of Sasuke's friends! It was almost as good as meeting them! He sucked his tongue thoughtfully before responding with "no."

Again, in a hair of a second, the screen flashed again.

"so its really nice to hear from u. sumtimes i get the feeling i just annoy u"

Naruto paused, staring at the screen utterly perplexed. This was the way Sasuke operated, right? He acted aloof around the people he cared about. At least that's what he'd always done around him. And if Karin was an added contact on his phone, and she was texting him, she had to be his friend. Therefore, she probably wasn't an annoyance. So he would respond appropriately.

"of cxfourse not"

Damned touch screens.

"so, whatcha doin?"

The blond looked over his back, the less that savory thoughts in his mind instinctively making him paranoid. He gave a wicked little smirk before responding.

"youy kno, just jockin da bithcez and doin my sweat thang baby"

What harm could it do? Sasuke could always pass it off as a prank from a friend. Simply the image of Sasuke saying something like that was too rich for words. Naruto had spent a couple seconds trying to recall whether the word in question was spelled "sweat" or "sweet", but ultimately he could only go with his instinct.

"wow, hawt ;)"

"watcha doin now hotstuff?"

There was hardly a split second until another response arrived.

"o just chillin, sui is being stupid. u?"

Naruto pondered his next response with great difficulty. What would he say now? Figuring that his damage was done, he typed his final message and powered the phone back off.

"cool. i have to go now bye"

Naruto was laughing to himself as he attempted to sleep, thoroughly amused by the mischief he had wrought. It made him feel just a little less pessimistic about Monday morning.

* * *

Thanks for reading! :) Comments, favs, and follows are all absolutely wonderful and highly appreciated. I love hearing peoples' reactions and theories. ;)


	13. Chapter 11

Sasuke dressed himself quietly Monday morning, careful not to awaken Naruto. Karin ran into Sasuke in the hall after first period, giggling as she smiled at him and cast him a wave. Sasuke perked a brow, paying the girl no mind and going about his business. Karin was acting a little flirty today, even by her standards.

When lunch came around, Suigetsu and Karin were the first to sit down, joined by Sasuke and Juugo, then finally Kabuto. However, Karin didn't even wait for Sasuke's ass to hit the seat before she started yammering at him.

"So Sasuke, I got your texts last night. I didn't know you felt that way about me."

Sasuke deadpanned, staring at the redhead in confusion.

"What?"

"You know," she laughed, "last night?"

"Haven't the foggiest."

Karin giggled yet again, swatting her hand at Sasuke.

"You flirt. You always do this hot and cold thing. You act all distant towards me because you know it drives me _crazy_. But you don't have to act anymore! I don't know what you think, but trust me, you already have me."

Sasuke rested his head on his left palm, taking a bite of salad as he tentatively regarded the female.

"I _think_ you're delusional."

"Oh stop. You know I'd let you do _anything_ to me," Karin teased.

Sasuke stopped chewing abruptly, motioning to Karin as he addressed Suigetsu.

"Suigetsu, are you really going to let your girlfriend talk to me like that? Have a little pride."

Suigetsu shook his head, raising both palms to Sasuke to indicate that he was more than comfortable with the matter.

"Nah, man. I saw the texts, and you were totally flirting. But it's cool. I mean hell, what if we just had a threeway?"

Sasuke momentarily choked on his salad, clearing his throat as Karin stopped dead in her tracks.

"Suigetsu, I have never loved you as much as I love you now."

This had gone on long enough. Sasuke slid his phone out of his backpack, hiding it in his lap so that a roving teacher wouldn't confiscate it from him. He waited for it to power on.

"I'm so excited!" Karin practically squealed as she clapped her hands rapidly.

"Aw yeah!" Suigetsu affirmed, leaning into his girlfriend with a grin.

Juugo chuckled under his breath, leaning back in his chair.

"Suigetsu, I never knew you swung that way."

The phone had finally powered on. He navigated to the "sent" folder, selected, and...

"Oh my god."

That asshole. It had been Naruto all along. He should've expected as much. The guy was obviously a total prankster. He probably didn't realize what a fine mess he had gotten Sasuke into. As strong as their denial was, those two would take any bait. Hell, Sasuke had indicated _interest_. By Karin's standards, this must have meant as much as a solicitation for sex. Or a threeway, as the situation stood.

Unaware of Sasuke's present revelation, Suigetsu smirked as he replied to Juugo, "Not generally, but for a pretty face like Sasuke's? Unf. Fucking UNF, I'd take that on my dick any day."

Sasuke growled at Suigetsu, wanting the guy to just shut the hell up before people heard him, "These aren't my texts."

Karin rolled her eyes with a smile on her face, "What did I just finish saying? Stop acting difficult."

Sasuke shook his head.

"It's not an act. My friend did this."

Karin smirked, a "you and I both know" sort of expression on her face, "Because you always have friends over at the crack of dawn on a Monday."

Sasuke sighed, again pulling the texts up on his phone and handing the phone over to Karin and Suigetsu.

"I have a 4.8 GPA. Don't you think I could spell the word 'sweet'?"

Suigetsu raised his eyebrows, looking surprised.

"It's spelled wrong?"

Sasuke groaned, beginning to lose his patience. He could no longer count how many times he asked himself this question, but why did he bother with them? What else could he say to these two to shake them of their delusions?

Juugo took the phone from Karin and Suigetsu.

"Let me see this."

He scrolled through the texts for a while. Juugo had always been a slow reader, but he soon began to chuckle.

"This doesn't even remotely look like something Sasuke would say."

Suigetsu shook his hands, speaking loudly now.

"Nooo, no. Kabuto, look at this."

"No."

Karin lifted up her hand in her aggravation, "Aw, come on!"

Kabuto shook his head, leaning back from the group.

"I am not getting involved in your ridiculous teenage drama."

The Uchiha frowned while sipping his diet Coke, only now beginning to consume his meal again.

"It's not drama. I just want these two fuckwits to get a clue and leave me alone."

Kabuto sighed.

"Fine, if it will get you all to shut up."

Kabuto's eyes flipped back upwards in a split second, regarding Karin and Suigetsu with a look of dry annoyance.

"You both are fucking morons. There's no way this could be Sasuke."

"Thank you. Now let it go," Sasuke commanded, glaring at the two. He'd had enough now.

Suigetsu sighed.

"Fine. Like I even cared about it anyway."

Karin made no such pretense, pouting at the food in front of her and stubbornly refusing to eat.

"Now that the lot of you have had your fun, I have some news for you. I'm having a party on Friday for my twenty-first birthday."

Suigetsu raised his brows, "I forget how old you are sometimes. But twenty-one? Fucking _nice_, man!"

Suigetsu raised his hand for a high five, which Kabuto ignored. He apparently didn't appreciate attention being drawn to the fact that he was a twenty-one-year-old high school student.

"So, are you jackasses coming or not?"

Juugo nodded, Karin and Suigetsu giving a more enthusiastic response. Sasuke paused to consider it for a while, Kabuto staring at him impatiently until he nodded. He couldn't very well turn down a friend's twenty-first birthday party.

He suffered through the rest of the day, occasionally fantasizing about wringing a certain idiot's neck. Well... Even Sasuke had to admit that it _had_ been a little amusing, but like hell was he going to let Naruto know that.

On the way home, Sasuke and his friends stopped by a store just several blocks out of the way. Sasuke didn't have time to make a large outing of it due to the large amounts of homework he had due the next day, but he figured it couldn't hurt. He ended up stealing a pair of discounted Ed Hardy sunglasses, which he told none of his friends. Anything nicer had a corded security device around it that Sasuke would need to put a lot of time and effort into removing. Again, he stole without incident, his heart skipping a few beats when walking through the censors. The feeling faded quickly, but at least he really did like the sunglasses. It was nothing he could ordinarily afford.

He placed the sunglasses on the kitchen counter as he entered the door, trudging up to the bedroom and plunking his backpack down.

"Very funny, dipshit."

Naruto cackled, pointing at Sasuke. His belly was pressed on Sasuke's bed, the blond facing the door. So finally, his scheming had come to fruition.

"You noticed already?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"As if I had a choice. I had two people clinging all over me half the lunch period thanks to you."

Naruto raised wheat brows in disbelief.

"Just because of those texts?"

The raven sighed, plunking down on the bed next to Naruto.

"You have no idea how the female mind can work."

Naruto scrunched his nose.

"Dude, girls are weird."

A sigh.

"And you happened to pick the weirdest one on my entire contacts list. Congratu-fucking-lations."

Naruto snickered, scooching over to Sasuke.

"I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble."

The younger shrugged.

"It's fine. They'll get over it."

"They?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"The girl's boyfriend. She showed him your texts, and he wanted to have a threeway with me."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock, a momentary pause until he cracked up laughing, kicking his legs spastically. A couple snorts escaped.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry, but that's hilarious. Is this your typical high school life or something? They never had this on Degrassi."

Sasuke sighed. He wouldn't get _mad_. He had something much better in mind.

"Yeah, laugh it up, dumbass. But you better watch your back."

Naruto moved back from him, his mouth forming an "oh."

"Is that a threat?"

Sasuke lowered his head to face Naruto, his language dry, "Naruto, my older brother is a prodigy and on occasion, a blatant asshole. I know how to pull a prank."

Perhaps it was poor judgment to warn Naruto about this, but his pride had its own say in the matter. Besides, Sasuke could be patient when it suited his purposes. He would wait until Naruto thought he had forgotten about the matter and pounce when the time was right.

"I'll be ready for you then, Mr. Sex."

Sasuke smirked, already brainstorming.

"But really, how many apps do you have on that damned thing? I've been playing around with it over the weekend, and like... Do you even use them all?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"I only use about half, but most of them were free."

Naruto kicked his feet lackadaisically, balancing his chin on his palms.

"So what's your favorite app?"

"Google Sky," Sasuke responded, needing hardly a second to think it over.

"Well, that was fast. What does it do?"

"You point the phone up at the sky at night. The phone shows some graphics of the stars and the name of whatever constellation you're pointing at."

Naruto rolled over, a 180 until he was on his back next to Sasuke, peering up at him enthusiastically.

"That's so cool! You have to show me now. I won't let you back out of it."

"You're an astronomy buff too?"

Naruto nodded quickly.

"I suppose I could take a study break."

Naruto grinned.

Sasuke didn't have much time to spare tonight. He refused to halfass his homework, so he worked without breaks for several hours on end. He had always had a long attention span and outstanding discipline when it came to schoolwork. However, it seemed like however far he worked ahead, the work kept on piling up. With his community service, his social life, and all of his honors and advanced placement classes, it was sometimes like trying to row up a waterfall.

He waited until the neighbors' lights were out. He lost no sleep over this, given that he still had several more hours of work to do. Naruto, again, had politely entertained himself with other endeavors, munching on a bag of Skittles.

"C'mon. Let's take that study break."

Naruto was at his feet in an instant, like a dog being taken on a walk. He'd clearly been eager, though he'd done a decent job of hiding it up until now. Sasuke grabbed a pair of black thin-rimmed glasses, tucking them on his face as he stood.

"I never knew you wore glasses," Naruto smirked.

"Only for stuff like this."

Stars were minute things, after all. Little pinpoints against a sea of black, and if Sasuke were to truly study them, he needed his vision sharp. Naruto smiled back at Sasuke. The glasses had a way of transforming his entire face, it seemed, making him look several years older. Considering how rarely Sasuke wore them, Naruto assumed that he was one of the few people to see him with them on. As trivial as this seemed, it made him feel special.

Sasuke took them to the front of his house, both of them sitting next to each other on the stoop. Their bodies touched, which was necessary. Sasuke could not very well show Naruto a display on something as compact as a phone screen from a distance.

Sasuke powered on his phone, pointing it at a random constellation. He wasn't able to get out so much as an utterance before Naruto jerked the phone off him, looking all around the sky with a big grin on his face. Originally taken aback by Naruto's pushiness, he leaned back and watched Naruto's face as the light of the screen reflected against it. It was difficult to be annoyed with him when he looked like this, and Sasuke found himself reserved to a mild smile.

"This is awesome!"

Naruto moved the phone around quickly and haphazardly, the graphics blurring as the star patterns spun across the screen.

"What... How does this even work?"

Naruto gestured wildly, the phone's screen flickering black and white.

"The phone has a compass and a GPS, and it knows the time. That's all you need to know where the constellations will be."

"How did I not know about this?!"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Well, you didn't know about nyan cat either."

"Maybe I was better off that way. Two hours, man..."

"Three," Sasuke responded flatly.

Getting his fill, Naruto slowed his movements and tilted the phone slightly.

"Oh, Pisces. Isn't that the fish sign on the zodiac? Ya know, that looks nothing like a fish to me."

Sasuke leaned back, looking at the screen with Naruto.

"It's actually two fish, tied together by a string at the end of their tails."

Naruto opened his mouth slightly, looking skeptical.

"Seriously. It's a Greek myth. Aphrodite and her son, Eros, turned themselves into fish to escape the fire god. Then the two of them were tied together to make sure they didn't lose each other during the escape."

Naruto was silent now, listening to Sasuke speak intently. Sasuke had told Naruto that he was interested in things like chemistry and anatomy, but he had never heard Sasuke actually speak about them. It was rare to see him engaged in much of anything, and it made Naruto feel lucky to see it.

"You're such a nerd, Sasuke," he grinned.

The other snickered.

"There are worse things to be."

"It still doesn't look like fish," Naruto added.

"Don't ask me where they got it."

Naruto moved the phone over, pointing at the Little Dipper.

"So, why's the app calling the Little Dipper Ursa Minor?"

"It's Latin for little bear. The Big Dipper is Ursa Major."

Naruto scrunched his brows together.

"Big bear?"

The other nodded.

"I can see them being dippers, but not bears."

Sasuke pointed at the screen.

"It's kind of a stretch, but the tip of the handle is supposed to be the tail, and the square part is the body."

Naruto chuckled.

"I'd rather it be a fox. That works just as well."

Sasuke squinted through his glasses, taking a better look at it.

"The body is too thick for that."

"But the tail is too long to be a bear. It's the Little Fox to me now. I'm my _own_ astronomer."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Alright, it's a fox. See, there's Polaris, at the tip... The bear's...the fox's tail is the North Star."

"I thought that sounded familiar."

Naruto stared at the phone for a while before asking, "So all the constellations move over the year, right? Then what did sailors do when the North Star went over the horizon?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"No, that's the thing about Ursa Minor. It's positioned so that unless you've got some bigass mountains, it never goes over the horizon. We'll lose Ursa Major though in a couple months, over that big hill there."

Naruto was gazing at Sasuke, utterly content. If he didn't know better, it seemed like there was a smile on Sasuke's face, or even in his voice when he talked. It was faint, and he could have well been imagining things. But when he talked about things like this, Sasuke seemed different. The blond felt like he was learning an entirely new side of him.

The blond was a little embarrassed about the way he was feeling right now. He felt light, and his heart seemed unable to decide on a tempo. Was he seriously getting flutters in his stomach while looking up at the stars with this guy? Could he possibly get any more cliche? Regardless, he leaned into Sasuke, resting his head on his shoulder.

Sasuke's posture straightened as Naruto lopped against him. His eyes darted, unable to see Naruto's face from this position. He sat for a few seconds, neither moving nor shooing the other away. Finally, he exhaled deeply, letting his neck relax as he lay his head against Naruto's.

The Uchiha hadn't expected his body to react this way. He felt a little dizzy, gripping the brick stoop with his other hand. He'd done something like this before, when he'd allowed Naruto to sleep against him on the bus. But he hadn't reciprocated, and Naruto had been unconscious. However, this wasn't a private act.

Realization smacked him upside the head. He would make out with girls at parties, and sometimes he'd even go farther than that if the situation was right. That felt good too, but it was entirely different. For Christ's sake, the only thing they were doing was lying against each other. There was only one reason an act so mild would affect him this much. Whatever Naruto was feeling for him... It had to be mutual.

Sasuke willed his body to relax, keeping his breathing deep. He loved this, and he hated it. He loved feeling so different, so unburdened. This was one of those seldom times when he didn't feel alone. Even before his parents, he hadn't felt this way around anyone. But moreover, it frightened him. One more person to love means one more person to lose. Not necessarily to death, of course. From the start, both of them knew that this arrangement wouldn't last. Maybe this was why despite everything, his chest felt tight.

They sat for several minutes together, until Sasuke's tailbone started to ache from the hard brick pressed against it. He yawned, the lulled mood tempting him to sleep. Of course, he couldn't do this. He had far too much work ahead of him. Naruto's breathing had, likewise, become long and calm.

"I better get inside. I have a few more chapters to read."

Sasuke sat upright, Naruto taking his head off of his shoulder.

"Right."

The two stood, dusting off their pants as they entered the house. Naruto messed around with Sasuke's computer as Sasuke propped his head up against the wall with a pillow, engrossed in his history book. Sasuke tried to immerse himself in the words, all the facts that seemed so mundane to him. He had to focus, and he didn't want to think about his newfound emotions.

Interested in a change of scenery and a late night snack, Sasuke moved down into the kitchen. He grazed at a small bowl of cereal as he highlighted his textbook. Around one in the morning, the garage door opened. Itachi had finally come home. Itachi joined Sasuke in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

"Hey, Sasuke."

Itachi's voice sounded hoarse as he spoke. Perhaps he had caught a cold or some other sort of bug, as he had been prone to do lately. Itachi's eyes took in the sunglasses on the kitchen counter, lifting them up. Sasuke bit his tongue, but otherwise seemed utterly unchanged.

"These are some nice shades, Sasuke."

"Thanks."

Itachi noted the price tag on the side, something to the tune of forty-five dollars.

"How'd you afford these?"

Sasuke didn't like where these questions were headed, but he kept his voice level.

"A friend gave them to me."

"They left the price tag on?"

Of course, Itachi was as perceptive as ever.

"I was there when they bought them, so there was no point in taking it off."

Itachi placed the glasses down silently, staring down at the kitchen counter as he stood. Sasuke continued to read, as he had been doing.

"Sasuke... I hate to ask you this. But I've been noticing that you've been getting a lot of new stuff lately, and I haven't been giving you any money."

How could he even know, as rarely as he was home? Did the guy have his wardrobe memorized or something? Knowing Itachi, he could probably do something like that without even trying. He had a memory like a steel trap. Sasuke didn't look up from his book and took care not to slow his movements.

"Whatever you say, I'll believe, because I trust you. Sasuke, look at me."

Reluctantly, Sasuke dropped his highlighter and looked up at his brother, doing his best not to look like a cornered animal. The sunglasses and the necklace were only two things among several that he had taken. He just hadn't expected Itachi to put it all together, or even notice. His mistake.

"Because I trust you, it's really important that you're honest with me when you answer."

He focused on his own facial expressions, his body language. He had to stay cool, just like he did when he passed by the security censors. He knew where this was headed. He didn't want to answer Itachi's questions. He just wanted to go up to his room and finish his homework. He wanted out of this situation. After Itachi had put so much effort into Sasuke's verdict, keeping his record clean, how could he turn around and do this to Itachi just months later? He didn't know how he'd even face him.

"Have you been shoplifting?"


	14. Chapter 12

Itachi just had to ask like that, didn't he? He had to use words like "trust" and "believe." He didn't know what was worse - the disappointment he knew his brother would experience if he was honest or the glaring guilt he'd experience if he lied. Despite the situation, he considered himself an honest person. And on the list of people he'd be most reluctant to lie to in a situation like this, Itachi was on the top by a mile.

Granted, he had already lied to Itachi just a few seconds ago. So was lying again really such a big deal? If he stopped stealing, was there really any reason Itachi had to know? It was a white lie that could save them both a lot of stress and drama. If anything, this currently brief exchange had showed him that he could not continue shoplifting. When he stole, his brother's face did not flash through his mind. The dots had been connected now, his emotions speaking loudly. One quick lie was all he needed to avoid the consequences of his actions.

Yet when Itachi spoke like that, his gentle voice full of understanding and even compassion, his conscience just couldn't withstand it. So he sat there, unable to speak even if he had wanted to. His eyes held direct contact with Itachi's, then fell to the table. He was being cowardly. The word "yes" wasn't a part of his vocabulary currently, but it was definitely implied.

"So," Itachi's voice went from gentle and pleading to tired and annoyed, "You have no answer for me."

He stared at the table, still, all words failing him. All he could manage was a simple shrug. Of course, it had to be Itachi. Itachi, the genius, the prize student, the athlete. He'd started college at sixteen and would be a lawyer by the age of twenty-two. Itachi had always been better than him. He'd been smarter, more athletic, more respectful. Their father had noticed this fact as well, as Sasuke was frequently made aware of.

But how could he blame Itachi for this? Despite the competition their father pitted them in, Itachi treated Sasuke with kindness. As he moved forward, he always tried to pull Sasuke up with him. He was the man who stepped up to raise him after he'd lost his own parents. Sasuke wasn't one to look up to others; perhaps he was too arrogant for that. But Itachi had always been an exception.

Sasuke felt nauseous, not because he feared something as trivial as losing his television privileges or getting grounded. In fact, Itachi wasn't even around enough to enforce punishments. He just didn't want to disappoint him.

Itachi sighed, his breath full of anger. It was obvious that Itachi was attempting to control himself, to keep himself from exploding.

"Sasuke, I have _tried _to be understanding. But what the hell are you thinking?"

Itachi stood next to the table, crossing his arms as he stared down at Sasuke. His eyes demanded an answer.

"Do you want to go to juvie? Because that's where you're headed at this rate."

Sasuke was now finally able to look at Itachi, praying that the man would keep his voice down. What if Naruto overheard? He was hard-pressed to think of anything more humiliating. When Sasuke responded, his voice was low and quiet.

"I'm not going to juvenile hall."

Itachi's voice raised ever so slightly, the tempo quickening.

"You're not? Because you were just in court a few months ago, and as I recall, the judge wasn't overly pleased with you."

Sasuke searched for an answer in the next several seconds, but Itachi beat him to the punch.

"Don't you...even _realize_ all the trouble I've gone through to keep your record clean? To raise you? Do you even _care_?"

Itachi's words forced themselves into his chest like an icepick. It was clear that Itachi had been in an irritable mood himself. Considering all the stress he had endured recently, it was difficult to blame him.

"Obviously."

Itachi sneered at the answer. He was yelling now, and there was no way Naruto could have misheard.

"Oh, 'obviously,' huh? You just throw it all away, blowing any opportunities you could have, opportunities I fought for, right out your ass. Hell, I'm hardly even an adult myself. And I'm trying my best, but I just don't know how to handle... You."

Itachi angrily gestured towards Sasuke. This was going even worse than he had feared. Worst of all, Naruto was likely hearing almost every word. Itachi so rarely lost his cool, so for him to shout at Sasuke at such an unfortunate time was heinously ironic.

What would Naruto think of him now? The guilt and embarrassment had become physically painful, affecting his head, his stomach, and his heart. All of these feelings were quickly converting to rage. Something seemed to have sparked in Sasuke, who abruptly stood and distanced himself from the table. His voice's volume met Itachi's.

"How much 'handling' do you have to do? You're never fucking home!"

Itachi's face went cold at the comment, all warmth and affection in his features vanished.

"How can you be so ungrateful? Do you even remotely understand what I've sacrificed for you, how difficult you've been?"

Sasuke had been pushed into the defensive.

"If it's so tough for you, why don't you turn me over to the foster care system, huh? Then you can stop feeling sorry for yourself and get rid of me, since I'm such a _burden_ to you."

Itachi stepped backwards, scoffing at Sasuke.

"You accuse _me_ of feeling sorry for myself? You've been moping and dicking around ever since Mom and Dad died!"

Sasuke clenched his teeth. It was that sentence that he never wanted Naruto to hear. He didn't want Naruto to know. He just wanted to avoid the issue. Even if Naruto had his suspicions, it would be better than just laying everything out like this. But it wasn't over yet.

"But me… I didn't get the chance to act up or hold myself a pity party. I had to suck up all of the pain I was experiencing so that I could be a good guardian and provider, for you. This is life. Get the fuck over it already, Sasuke! You know what… Maybe I should give you up to the system after all. I don't need this shit."

So, this is what Itachi hid behind that forced smile every time he came home from work with those tired eyes. He'd always felt like a burden after his parents died, but he prayed that Itachi didn't feel that way too. His throat felt tight, and his fingers tingled as the painfully quiet seconds passed. He wondered if he would have to fight back tears soon, but he gathered his strength as he yelled back.

"Then _do_ it! Get rid of me! At least a foster family would have to be around. This fucking house is always empty. I'm _always_ alone. You're not my 'guardian.' You're hardly even a brother!"

Shit, why would he say that? It was too late to take his words back. Itachi was one hell of a brother, and he knew it. Itachi's face went cold at the comment, all warmth and affection in his features vanished. He raised his arm up, and his fist collided against Sasuke cheek with a loud thud.

Sasuke felt a painful pinch as his eyes began to water. He knew the injury would bruise, but hell... Over the past year, Sasuke had developed a reputation for getting in fights, though he hadn't been in one since he'd gone to court. It would be easy to make excuses. Everyone would believe him. But it felt so strange for someone like Itachi, so gentle and patient, to strike him. The only thing that Sasuke could think to himself was that he must've really messed up this time.

Maybe Itachi really did dislike Sasuke, secretly. Or maybe Sasuke's comment had made Itachi feel guilty. The last time Sauske had felt Itachi's fist on his face, he couldn't have been older than seven. He'd generally been a very kind and protective older brother, but siblings were bound to have their squabbles. Especially considering how competitive the two of them used to be, it made sense. But this... This was much different.

Sasuke stared back at Itachi, his gaze full of hurt and shock. Perhaps surprisingly, Itachi looked every bit as astounded as Sasuke did. The younger brother barely witnessed the look of profound guilt on the other's face just before turning his head away. Was Sasuke going to cry? No, that was ridiculous. The Uchiha could take a punch without batting an eye; that much was a definite. But perhaps not from Itachi.

"Fuck you," Sasuke spat, silent fury quaking his voice. "I don't have to deal with your bullshit."

Sasuke concentrated on his footsteps as he walked out of the kitchen with a deliberately steady pace, hastily stomping up the stairs once he was out of view. He wasn't sure if he was storming away because he was angry and wanted to avoid doing something he'd regret, or because he didn't want Itachi to see him crumble.

It hadn't taken long for him to get from the kitchen to his bedroom door. He shoved the door open, observing Naruto awkwardly scurrying back to the bed as his face had obviously been pressed against the door. His terror might have been funny if Sasuke weren't so furious. The imprints of Sasuke's door were even freshly red against his cheek. So he _had_ heard.

Naruto paused, torn between facing the music and literally running away from Sasuke, perhaps lunging out their second story window and hoping for the best. God, Sasuke was _terrifying_ when he was angry. The raven shoved Naruto away, the smaller boy stumbling and nearly losing his footing. Sasuke didn't want Naruto knowing any of this. He didn't want Naruto to know about the people he hung out with, the decisions he made, or his parents' death. He just wanted things to stay the same as they were now - simple, calm, and shallow.

"What the hell, Sasuke? It's not like you guys weren't yelling anyway!"

Sasuke's blood was still coursing. When Naruto noticed the trembling of Sasuke's hands and the angry wound on his face, his expression immediately softened. It had been so tempting at that moment to shout insults at Naruto for being so rude, so nosey. Even for giving him that look he was giving him now. It wasn't disappointment or anger. Even worse, it was pity. But he held his tongue, his molars digging into it painfully. He couldn't risk Itachi overhearing them.

Naruto had only heard the yelling, and they had made no reference to any physical violence. Had Sasuke's brother hit him? How many times? Was this a frequent occurrence in the Uchiha household? There had been so much that Sasuke hadn't told him. It blew him away, honestly. Despite knowing that there was more to Sasuke than met the eye, he couldn't help thinking that the kid was spoiled. Sure, Naruto knew he had a few issues, but how tough could life really be for someone like Sasuke?

Naruto approached Sasuke as if attempting to pet a feral animal. When Naruto put his arm on his shoulder, he swatted it away, taking another step back. Naruto wouldn't hear of it, however. He quickly closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Sasuke and gripping each wrist with the opposite hand. Sasuke thrashed for an instant, trying to free himself and finding the blond shockingly strong. Suddenly, he felt very tired. The adrenaline was leaving his body so quickly, it seemed. Sasuke slumped.

"What do you want to say to me now? That he's right?"

Sasuke sighed, eyeing the ground.

"This must sound so stupid to someone like you."

Naruto remembered the Zoloft he'd found in Sasuke's desk, and it made more sense to him now. He frowned, muttering into Sasuke's ear.

"I didn't know you were dealing with this. I'm sorry..."

Sasuke grunted.

"Don't apologize, and don't pity me. You called me a spoiled brat back then. You could've been right."

This was one of those rare times when Sasuke actually felt like a moron. Naruto had no one to take care of him. The guy lived on the streets and nearly got raped just a few days ago. Really, things could have been a lot worse.

Naruto shook his head, petting Sasuke's arm soothingly. Sasuke was torn between shooing him away and enjoying it. Ultimately he decided on the latter, his breathing and heartbeat returning to normal.

"I've never had anyone, but I've also never lost anyone. It hurts all the same, but it's a different sort of hurt. It's silly to try to compare them."

They were silent for a while, Naruto wrapped around Sasuke as the raven caved into himself. Sasuke felt an uncomfortable moistness on his cheek and wiped at it. The dark streak on his palm told him that it was blood. Considering the pulsing by his jawbone, it wasn't surprising. He sighed in relief. Thank god, he wasn't crying.

"Do you think he meant it?"

As Naruto stopped to respond, Sasuke listened for any signs of Itachi. The lower floor was completely silent.

"Honestly... I don't know your brother well enough to say. Did you mean what you said?"

Sasuke shook his head slowly.

"In a way, I think he's like you. You know, you're fucking scary when you're worried."

It felt better when he thought of it that way, when he tried to put himself in Itachi's position. It was obvious why he would be worried about Sasuke, and judging from all of the sacrifices he made, it was obvious that he cared. He couldn't blame Itachi for becoming overwhelmed.

Sasuke gently shook free of Naruto, falling onto his bed and lying backwards. His stronger emotions were now being replaced with fatigue, and he gave a deep sigh. This had been a day of lofty highs and dire lows. One minute he's in a love stupor, and the next he gets punched in the face.

"Sasuke, why don't you go to bed?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"As great as that sounds, I have work to do."

Naruto pursed his lips.

"Do you really think you can learn with your mind wandering like this? You look exhausted."

"I'm fine, Naruto. Just a little while longer."

He rested on his bed, unsuccessfully hacking at his history book over the next hour. His studies were disrupted by a knock on the door. Sasuke wasn't sure if he was ready to speak to Itachi again, but he motioned for Naruto to hide in the closet nonetheless.

"Yeah?"

Itachi frowned as he noticed the smear of blood on Sasuke's cheek, the skin beginning to swell.

"Sasuke, do you mind if I come in?"

Itachi's voice was soft, sounding much like he always did. That much was a good sign. Without answering, Sasuke opened the door, looking up at Itachi hesitantly.

"Yes?"

Sasuke's voice was mostly tired, but there was a small hint of spite. As guilty as he felt about stealing, he was still unhappy with the way Itachi had reacted.

"Sasuke..."

Itachi's words were gentle, almost pleading. Sasuke stared back at him impatiently, feigning boredom. Why did seeing his brother right now make him feel so upset? There was a distant part of him that just wanted Itachi to put his hand on his shoulder, to tell him that he didn't mean it. He was ashamed of this; it was weakness.

"I won't steal again, okay?" Sasuke interrupted. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Sasuke could read his brother well. He knew that he had come to his room to mend things over. Itachi shook his head, persisting regardless.

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to apologize for honesty."

While he meant what he said, he hoped that Itachi would contradict him. He was too prideful to test the waters more directly. When the other shook his head, a long strand of hair fell from his pony tail.

"It wasn't honesty. It was frustration. And no matter what you did, hitting you is...absolutely inexcusable."

Sasuke shrugged, still skeptical. Sometimes, when people are angry, they say things they don't mean. But sometimes those breaking points are when the truth surfaces. Sasuke still didn't know which he believed.

"It's fine."

Keen as ever, Itachi didn't miss Sasuke's suspicions for an instant.

"I wouldn't give up on you for the world, you know? You're the only family I have left. I think without you... I'd be a disaster."

Sasuke had no idea that he helped Itachi, in any way. All he seemed to do was cause him hassle, mostly in ways that weren't even in his control. As pleased as he was, wasn't it a little embarrassing for Naruto to overhear this? He stared at paper circle that had fallen from his college ruled notebook paper, the only thing disrupting the well-vacuumed carpet.

"You don't have to be so sappy about it," he muttered.

Itachi easily saw through his feigned indifference, a wordless understanding passing between them.

"I didn't mean it either, 'Tachi. You've done much better than I ever could've."

Itachi smiled back at Sasuke, the look of relief on his face evident. As strong as Itachi was, it was sometimes difficult for Sasuke to remember that he was human, and thus vulnerable to his own insecurities.

"Well... We should both be getting our sleep."

Just as Itachi started to turn away, Sasuke called after him.

"Itachi..."

"Hm?"

He swallowed before he spoke.

"I'm sorry. ...Both for stealing and what I said. I didn't mean to cause you even more trouble..."

He was story for stealing, sorry for lying to Itachi, and sorry for not apologizing earlier. There were a lot of things he regretted, but there was no going back now. Itachi smiled, lowering his head at Sasuke and raising his brows.

"Don't do it again, and we'll call it even."

* * *

A few hours early this week. :)

So what did you think? Given that this chapter was particularly dramatic, I'd love to know. How do you feel towards the brothers? Still pissed at Sasuke for stealing, or do you feel like he's gotten his punishment?

Thank you for everyone who's reviewing/favoriting/following. It's very much appreciated.


	15. Chapter 13

Sorry this update is so late in the day! To put matters nicely, this has been one hell of a day for me. Phew!

I've been getting so many reviews lately... I love it! Keep 'em coming, and don't be afraid to PM. :)

* * *

When Sasuke opened the closet, Naruto faced the wall, obstinately refusing to rotate towards him for the first several seconds. When he finally turned, he stood clumsily with water in his eyes. Sasuke arched an eyebrow at him.

"Naruto, were you just crying?"

Naruto frowned, gently pushing Sasuke in the arm.

"It's fucking dusty in here! It's all in my eyes and shit like mad! ...The dust!"

Sasuke snickered, stepping back and allowing Naruto to exit. He wondered if this guy could ever get through chick flicks with dry eyes. The guy could be a total softie, but he supposed that was one of the things he liked about him. As Naruto sat down in his sleeping bag, Sasuke moved to the bed.

"Now Sasuke... Not to beat a dead horse, but if you steal again, I'll punch your fucking lights out."

Sasuke paused for a moment and shot Naruto a quick look. Perhaps not the best choice in phrasing on Naruto's part, given the situation. Sasuke was beginning to realize that stealing posed a very direct threat to his physical wellbeing. He chuckled under his breath, ever so slightly.

"Don't have to tell me twice. Now good night."

He flicked the lights off, finally curling up in his bed. The air his room was particularly chilly tonight, but Naruto had assured him that he was warm in the sleeping bag. Sasuke curled up under the comforter, attempting to go to sleep. His fingers and toes tingled cold, but his chest felt stuffy and tight.

However tired his body and mind were, slumber was evading him. Instead, he kept remembering situations that he had long wanted to forget. He remembered smoke, blood, charred skin, and sterile hospital rooms. With each disturbing image, he attempted to reroute his thoughts to neutral subject matter, which somehow let his mind to similarly unsettling thoughts. It didn't take much to trigger him, Sasuke found.

A couple weeks after his parents' death, a simple burning paper nearly triggered a panic attack. A napkin had fallen over the stove burner, a thin black smoke triggering the fire alarm. Before Sasuke was even aware of what was happening, he was on the ground, clutching his chest with unsteady fingers, hands drenched in sweat, and hyperventilating so badly that he feared that he would either pass out or vomit. Fortunately, his brother had been home. Itachi had been ill equipped to deal with this sort of situation at the time, but his simple presence had been enough to keep Sasuke relatively grounded.

His psychiatrist had diagnosed him with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder a couple months after the incident. He told Sasuke that it played into his angry outbursts, distrust in humanity, and withdrawn attitude. Sasuke, however, didn't like to make excuses. For better or for worse, his choices were his responsibility.

His psychiatrist also told him that as time passed, the flashbacks would become less frequent and would affect him less. This seemed to be true, and he wondered how long he'd actually qualify for the diagnosis. Still, it made nights like these no less frustrating.

No one would know of this, he decided. As far as his friends would realize, his parents' death slid off him, leaving him unscathed and stronger than ever. Only Itachi knew the truth, simply because he had to file the insurance claims for his psychiatric care and medication. Sasuke would have done everything in his power to ignore it, but he could only pretend for so long in his own home.

He turned over from his stomach to his side, to his back, then to his stomach again, a slight but generalized anxiety buzzing around his body. Finally giving up on sleep for the time being, Sasuke went to the restroom for a glass of water, setting it beside his bed and sipping as he lay down, careful not to spill.

"Can't sleep?"

Sasuke was unaware that Naruto had been awake. He had been quiet so as not to disrupt him.

"Doesn't look like it."

He could barely hear Naruto ruffle in the sleeping bag.

"Would it...help if I joined you?"

Sasuke bit his lip in contemplation. It seemed like a forward question, but given what happened outside earlier that night and how Naruto comforted Sasuke after the fight, it wasn't uncalled for. Sasuke hadn't had anyone sleep next to him since he was a child. He wondered what it would be like. The dynamics of their relationship were steadily changing, and he wondered what the future held.

"Sleep wherever you're most comfortable."

Naruto knew Sasuke well enough by now to interpret that. If he hadn't wanted Naruto in his bed, he would've told him so. Therefore, by default...

Naruto abandoned his sleeping bag, slipping under the covers on the opposite side of the bed. A forearm's length of space lay between them, somehow managing to seem minute and vast simultaneously. Naruto slept on his back, his eyes facing the ceiling, while Sasuke slept with his back to Naruto. Naruto's weight on the mattress shifted Sasuke back, his body slightly leaning towards Naruto. He hadn't expected tonight to end up like this, but despite everything, he was alright with it.

Sasuke tried not to keep Naruto awake, gracefully turning onto his back a few minutes into the night. Naruto, however, was completely alert, turning his head to glance at Sasuke. Naruto could tell the difference between simple antisiness and anxiety. Sasuke's brows were knit, his eyes shut tightly.

"Your mind's playing tricks on you, hm?"

Perhaps engaging Naruto in conversation would be less aggravating than this futile tossing and turning. Naruto had been kind to him tonight, and Sasuke was very glad for his presence.

"Yeah."

Naruto turned onto his side, facing Sasuke.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Sasuke shrugged. Did he?

"I'm not sure it would help."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke.

"Wanna try?"

This was supposed to be his friend, not his shrink. He didn't want Naruto to believe he had any issues at all, but after what Naruto had observed tonight, he realized that this was wishful thinking. Sasuke rested his forearm over his eyes, trying to keep the lights from his window from keeping him awake. Even the streetlights were becoming a nuisance. Speaking of these things seemed a little daunting, but he believed that he could trust Naruto. He might as well try.

"Why not..."

It wasn't as if the majority of his secrets hadn't been ripped out of hiding tonight. Naruto raised his brow dramatically, doing his best to look intelligent and sophisticated. He would put on his therapist hat now. Sasuke merely smirked, rolling his eyes as he barely made out Naruto's exaggerated expression around his own forearm.

"Is it about the fight?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Not really."

Sasuke held a long silence, surprised that Naruto hadn't jumped to a response. Perhaps he could tell that Sasuke had more to say.

"More just what it reminded me of," Sasuke forced out.

Naruto paused.

"You mean your folks?"

Sasuke nodded, frowning. It might have been simpler had it been a stranger who he would never see again. He feared revealing too much to Naruto. He didn't want to be seen as weak, or perhaps even worse, self-pitying.

"Sasuke, if you don't mind me asking... What happened to them?"

Sasuke took a shuddering breath, silently so that Naruto would hopefully not hear. Naruto did, however, feel Sasuke's weight shift on the mattress.

"Our house caught fire. Some faulty wiring, and it hit the water heater. No one in the house survived past that night."

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. Even by his standards, this was some heavy stuff. He didn't want to tell Sasuke he was sorry again. He knew he didn't need to hear that.

"Is that why you moved last year?"

"Yeah."

That explained a lot. Naruto had wondered where Sasuke's parents slept. He assumed they did something like converting the attic to a third floor, as one of his foster families had done. Given their frequent "business trips" and the house size, it might not have been necessary to take rooms on the second floor.

Sasuke appreciated his space, and Naruto hadn't previously wanted to be pushy by inquiring about his parents. It also explained why the house was so sparsely furnished and decorated, and why there were no old pictures of Sasuke or Itachi. Most things looked relatively new. They apparently hadn't had much time to fill things out again.

Naruto frowned. It was ironic that both of them had lost their homes, in one sense or another, within the past year. Of course, in both of their cases, there was much more to it than that. Naruto had seen Sasuke as someone from a different world entirely. Perhaps they were not so different as he believed.

"What were they like?"

Sasuke didn't think much before answering.

"They were good people."

Naruto the left corner of Naruto's mouth pulled up as he repositioned himself on the sheets.

"That's good, but I didn't mean that…"

Sasuke turned to Naruto, their faces closer to each other now. Naruto's breath misted against his nose.

"Then what did you mean?"

Through the darkness, he could see the gears turning in Naruto's head.

"Well… Did they sing in the car?"

Sasuke arched a brow, replying dryly, "What is this, a Facebook survey?"

Naruto grunted.

"C'mon, humor me. Give me some details to go on."

Sasuke sighed. How was this relevant again? Well, it was a distraction, at the very least. He'd gone this far already, so he might as well just roll with the punches.

"Fine... I never heard my father sing, ever. He didn't mind other people singing, but he was never very animated. My mom would sing in the car sometimes when there were long silences. She never sang loudly though. Kind of softly and under her breath, but she was on-tune."

Naruto beamed back at Sasuke. He felt that the more Sasuke spoke like this, the better he got to know him.

"See, that told me a lot more about your parents. I already assumed they were good people. They raised you and your brother, after all."

Sasuke took in Naruto's face, trying to analyze the blond's thought processes. His mind didn't work like the others', and it intrigued him.

"You have a weird way of looking at things."

Naruto seemed to take that as a compliment, the smile seeming to gobble up the lower half of his face.

"'S cuz I watch."

"A people watcher?"

Naruto nodded emphatically, and Sasuke judged that he had hit upon one of those topics that Naruto liked to blabber on about. At the moment, he didn't mind. It was a welcome distraction.

"Hm. Creepy," Sasuke teased.

Naruto pouted.

"Shut up. Ya know, it's funny because I've always talked too much, instead of thinking. I was more of a doer than a watcher, but since I haven't had much to do or many people to talk to lately, I ended up a watcher."

He'd been right about one thing; this kid was different. Sometimes downright weird. But for whatever reason, he found himself listening much more carefully than he ordinarily did. To Sasuke, "weird" was not a bad thing.

Naruto continued, "That's what I liked about the park so much. There are so many people to watch. And you find out there are all sorts of people, and all sorts of things that can tell you more about them. Like how quickly they walk, where their eyes go, how much they look around, what they're carrying and how tightly…"

As vapid as Naruto ordinarily seemed, Sasuke would not have guessed that he had put that much thought into observing others. He supposed that there was little else for him to do. Naruto hadn't lost any steam.

"Then you wonder where they came from. Maybe they have on a suit, or are carrying a book or half-eaten leftovers from that deli around the corner, and it's probably still on their breath. You watch them and try to guess if they would sing in their car, or if they're upset that kids these days can't read cursive anymore."

The way Sasuke regarded Naruto was at times almost confused. Sometimes the most unexpected, uncharacteristic things left his mouth. Naruto was perhaps nowhere near as simple as he let on. It was interesting to Sasuke. These were all things he knew on some level, but to focus on them to this extent... It was something people rarely did.

"You're right. You do talk too much."

A pout in his voice, Naruto responded, "Asshole."

Sasuke smirked, finding comfort in the familiarity of teasing his friend. He paused, discovering that he did, actually, feel better. He was surprised. His brother was generally the only soul able to comfort him.

"So, do you think I sing in the car?"

Naruto turned his whole body to face Sasuke, scooting up closely to him to fully analyze Sasuke through the darkness. Sasuke crinkled his brows in mild disturbance, edging away from him.

"Hm… Only rarely. When you're trying to think about something else, and you know no one can tell."

There was silence between them after Naruto spoke, and Sasuke could practically feel Naruto's enthusiasm, his impatience to know if he had gotten it right.

"Alright, Naru. I have to wake up early tomorrow. Let's go to bed."

The new nickname did not escape him.

"Heh."

No other words between them were needed. The odd thing was that Naruto was precisely right, and Sasuke had no doubts that Naruto was aware of it.


	16. Chapter 14

Lips collided as two noses narrowly missed each other, the creaking sound of a bouncing mattress filling Sasuke's bedroom. A head slammed against the wall behind them, unbridled moaning issuing from both mouths followed by a hissed swear. Sasuke only saw black, his eyes shut tightly as their moist tongues intertwined. Sasuke rested on four legs on top of the other, a calloused hand reaching underneath his boxers and blindly feeling towards his erection.

Sasuke pulled back for air, opening his eyes now for the first time. Naruto gazed back at him, his eyes partially lidded with exertion and satisfaction, a pink flush on his cheeks. Sasuke wasn't shocked. In fact, it felt natural, without a hint of awkwardness. The two were stripped down to their boxers, sex-heated limbs tangling together comfortably. Naruto's neck craned upwards as his teeth sunk into Sasuke's thin bottom lip. Sasuke growled softly, returning the favor and tugging on Naruto's lip. Naruto was his for now. He'd wanted him, and now, nothing stood in his way.

Naruto fought to flip Sasuke over, the Uchiha exerting significant effort to keep Naruto beneath him, his biceps pinned to the sheets. He had Naruto where he wanted him. His mouth moved to Naruto's jawline, harshly sucking at the sensitive flesh underneath and leaving reddish-purple behind. He would make Naruto remember this. He kissed, licked, and nipped down the side of Naruto's neck, the older boy granting the younger consent as he traced his fingers down his abdomen.

"Sasuke… Please…"

Naruto turned his head towards the wall, his pants heavy and deep.

"I need it, S'uke…"

Sasuke's fingers trailed lower, lower, lower…

Black again. An annoyingly loud lawn mower grated between Sasuke's ears, and rough fingers tickled his hipbone precariously. As he turned his head away from the pillow, the black took a reddish hue and the sunlight warmed his face. Sasuke's brows knit as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, his vision slowly sharpening as he glanced over at his clock. 6:52.

Naruto's head rested on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke's sleep-fogged mind assumed that the rather provocative position of Naruto's hand was accidental. His boxers felt tight… His eyes trailed downwards. Oh god…

A rather impressive tent was being pitched underneath the sheets. Naruto's soft snoring mercifully informed him that he could take this humiliation in privacy. Christ, his hand was _right_ next to this massive boner of his. For all Sasuke knew, Naruto could've even touched it. And sure, he was sleeping now, but had he been sleeping the entire time? Had Sasuke made any noises or even talked in his sleep?

Why was this happening? He was probably just horny. It wasn't his fault. Ever since Naruto had moved in with him, he had yet to masturbate a single time. Naruto, however, got Sasuke's school and gym hours to himself to do whatever he so wished, the lucky bastard. How else could he get it out of his system? Sure, Naruto was attractive. But their relationship was nothing like this, was it?

Ever since the night when Naruto first slept next to Sasuke, the two shared a bed every night. It was simpler, perhaps. They didn't need to bother with sheets and sleeping bags, and there was enough room for both of them. Sometimes, Sasuke would awaken to Naruto's head on his shoulder, or his arm draped over his chest. He didn't mind, just as Naruto didn't mind one night when Sasuke pressed his nose against Naruto's neck in his sleep.

They never touched while both of them were awake. When Naruto would find himself nuzzled into Sasuke, he'd fluster and correct himself. And now Sasuke found himself in this predicament. Was this really…normal for two guys who were supposedly _just_ friends? They hadn't even done anything yet, but there was something distinctly romantic about sharing a bed every night. Naruto made the occasional sexual joke, often directed towards Sasuke's appearance. Sometimes their banter sounded more like flirting.

Sasuke gracefully navigated out of bed, careful not to awaken the other boy. He tip toed into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. He felt even worse when a glance in the mirror revealed that his cheeks had flushed with embarrassment. Well, he needed a shower this morning anyway. Cold or hot? He turned on the heat, scolding himself for his lack of restraint. He lifted his head up as the hot water lashed back his hair, gripping his cock in his hand and pumping leisurely.

He'd get away with it if he was quiet. Still, knowing Naruto, he wouldn't be entirely surprised if he barged into the bathroom unannounced. He'd done it once before, and though Sasuke had shouted insults at him, he didn't force him to leave either. Sasuke realized that it was loneliness and boredom rather than lust that caused Naruto to do this. Sasuke knew he had to hurry. He didn't know how he would handle Naruto walking in on him.

His hand quickened, the hot water slicking between his hand and the sensitive flesh. He wouldn't bother to be creative. He just wanted to take care of his issue as quickly as possible and forget that this had ever happened. But as hard as he was, he felt blocked. He approached orgasm several times, but through his guilt and shame, he was unable to reach climax. He clenched his teeth in frustration, biting his lip harshly to keep from moaning.

His mind roamed, picturing any attractive girl he could think of. It did nothing for him. He reluctantly realized where his best chance stood. After all, how had he gotten like this to begin with? Naruto. He imagined his eyes, his hair, his scent, the skin spanning his neck and shoulder… He had seen Naruto naked before, though he had made it a point not to stare. He now tried to remember every detail, the muscles on his thighs and the shape of his bare ass. He imagined Naruto underneath him, or perhaps the other way around, whatever brought their bodies close together.

His body finally unleashed, warm cum spurting on the shower floor. The water began to wash it away immediately . Sasuke's lower lip was red from the indent of his teeth, aggressively biting the flesh to keep himself from moaning during those last blissful moments. He lifted his forearm against the misted shower wall and rested against it as his body tingled, panting and regaining his thoughts. In some ways he felt better, and in other ways he felt much worse. What was happening to him?

Where did they stand? Naruto had told him that he was gay. He knew that Naruto liked him, and he knew that he liked Naruto. Sasuke had originally wondered whether his feelings were a sexual attraction or just an unusually deep platonic compatibility. Sasuke had never felt so close to anyone other than Itachi, so he had trouble placing his emotions. Yet given moments like these, he now understood what was happening. He wasn't aware how much Naruto realized, as the blond was some odd mixture of clueless and uncannily perceptive.

Sasuke said nothing, however. What if something went wrong? Given that Sasuke provided the only roof over Naruto's head, perhaps it was best not to take that risk. Besides, he knew Naruto would have to leave soon, and Sasuke didn't want it to hurt them any more than it had to. Losing him would be difficult enough without complicating matters. Even if everything went well between them, could they even stay in contact after Itachi found Naruto? Frankly, he was surprised that their arrangement had lasted an entire week as Friday evening rolled around.

And with the evening came his prior commitment. Naruto had smiled when Sasuke walked out the door, but it was only in his mouth and not in his eyes. Naruto wanted to come with him. In fact, he even resented Sasuke. The Uchiha didn't even look like he wanted to go, while it was this sort of typical teenage stuff that Naruto only wished he could experience. He hoped that no one would try anything funny with Sasuke. He knew that he had plenty of girls (and even probably a few guys) at his disposal. They'd probably be all over him. Dammit, he was totally useless stuck in this house. But why would he care? Sasuke could do whatever with whomever he wanted.

Karin and Suigetsu were already in the car as Juugo's pickup nudged up Sasuke's driveway. Naruto peeked out the front window from the sofa, getting a quick glimpse of the car and Karin's and Juugo's faces, along with one shadowed head in the back seat. How old was this driver, anyhow? He was enormous! And the girl sitting next to him seemed pretty attractive. Were they dating? Sasuke approached the car, sitting in the back seat with Suigetsu. He opened the door to yelling, Karin and Suigetsu evidently involved in a squabble.

"Sasuke, look at what this idiot did!"

Karin was pointing to Suigetsu, who had leaned back in his seat with the sole of his shoe against the back of Juugo's seat. Karin was shooting Suigetsu the stink eye.

"I got some ink done, man."

Suigetsu rolled up his sleeve, showing a grey, faded shape which seemed to resemble a skull. The ink was splotchy and speckled. This wasn't the first homemade tattoo Sasuke had seen, but it was probably one of the crappier ones.

"One of my bros did it on me last night. It's a skull with flames."

Sasuke raised a thin brow, shaking his head. Suigetsu handed Sasuke the pack of cigarettes and a lighter, and Sasuke puffed at the cigarette until the fire caught.

"Seems odd you'd have to tell people what it is."

Suigetsu frowned, his lower lip jutting outward.

"Doesn't it look like a skull with flames to you?"

Sasuke rested his cheek on his hand, taking a deep drag off his cigarette as he glanced over at Suigetsu's arm. He squinted his eyes and smirked.

"It looks a little like Texas."

Karin twisted around to glare at Suigetsu.

"Hah! I told you so. I told you not to do it!"

Suigetsu groaned, holding his head in his hand, "Is it really that bad?"

Sasuke had no comment. Suigetsu shook his head, attempting to shrug it off.

"'Sfine. I'll just go back to the guy and tell him to work over it."

Karin scoffed, loudly chewing her gum.

"You'll dig yourself deeper," Sasuke answered.

"What else am I supposed to do?

"Wait until you're eighteen and go to someone who knows what they're doing."

At Sasuke's advice, Suigetsu pulled his hair, leaning back in his seat.

"But I don't _want_ to! That's like a whole year from now!"

"Then maybe you should _think_ before you act like a fucking dumbass," Karin jeered.

For once, Karin had a point. They arrived at Kabuto's house relatively soon. It was small: a one bedroom with a kitchenette and a living room. Then again, this was probably all he needed. Kabuto didn't live in the best of areas. Still, it was nowhere near as bad as the area around J and Eighth, where Naruto had been accosted. And Kaubto wasn't poor; he always seemed to be showing up to school with something new. None of them were sure for how long Kabuto had been living alone, or how he paid rent without a formal job. Then again, Sasuke supposed that all of Kabuto's efforts selling questionable items around the school could be considered a job. Perhaps this was why he even bothered attending school at all.

Kabuto flicked a wave as the four of them crossed the threshold. Kabuto gave Sasuke, the last to enter, a pat on the back. Including Kabuto, there were eleven people at his house. Sasuke recognized Sasori and Deidara, as well as a few older men who he was told were attending the local community college, Suna. Again, Sasuke was the youngest person there, yet one would never suspect from the way he presented himself. He had his youthful face to curse, however.

The party felt a little cramped, and there weren't really enough people to sustain a real dancefloor. However, the party's participants were too intoxicated to really care. There were half-empty bottles of vodka, Jägermeister, Redbull, and several twelve packs of beer strewn about the kitchen. Suigetsu and Karin flocked to the alcohol immediately, and Juugo poured himself a plastic cup of beer. Sasuke, however, keenly remembering his brother's words on Monday, decided to make do with cigarettes alone.

About an hour into the party, Sasuke believed that he had listened to more Dr. Dre, Pitbull, and rap metal than he could be expected to withstand in one night. These things weren't quite as painless without the dulling effects of alcohol. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw one of the college students leaning downwards with his nose to the table, finger covering one nostril as he made a quick movement. He heard nothing over the music, but Sasuke had witnessed enough pop culture references to guess at what was occurring. Sasuke didn't know what exactly was being used, but on second thought, he decided that he didn't want to know.

Other than Kabuto and Juugo, who both had the tolerance of a bear, everyone at the party was completely shitfaced and burdensome to speak with. Yet even Kabuto and Juugo were notably buzzed, though Sasuke realized that he probably would have been too had Monday not occurred. So Sasuke sat next to Juugo on the couch, discussing things such as the concerts in town and a new restaurant in the mall over a smoke.

There was a scuffle in the kitchen between Deidara and Suigetsu, who were feuding over the iPod that controlled the music in the room. Suigetsu appeared to have won, as Eminem began to blare over the sound system. Suigetsu grabbed his crotch, stumbling slightly as he danced jerkily with his other arm and shouted the lyrics. Karin stood back, crossing her arms and nodding to the beat sloppily, obviously more than buzzed herself. Sasuke and Juugo exchanged a look and an eyeroll. Typical party behavior for Suigetsu.

Kabuto finally approached Sasuke and Juugo, smiling lightly and holding a couple cups of beer. Karin and Suigetsu had gladly accepted the same offer from Kabuto a couple minutes earlier, though Sasuke wondered if Suigetsu would have to visit the hospital again at this rate. The two could hardly walk. Oddly interested in being a good host, Kabuto reached Juugo and Sasuke next.

"Sasuke, you're stone cold sober. Loosen up already."

As Kabuto offered him a beer, the Uchiha shook his head. He couldn't help but imagine his brother's disappointment if he knew he'd been drinking.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

Kabuto looked back at Sasuke flatly, a slight slur to his voice.

"It's a twenty-first birthday party, and you're not even gonna have a beer? C'mon, just one to take the edge off."

Sasuke supposed he was right. A single beer would be out of his system soon enough, and it could make the party at least slightly more tolerable. It wouldn't even get him buzzed. Even if he miraculously ran into his brother right after the party, he probably wouldn't even know he'd had anything to drink. What was the harm? With a shrug, Sasuke accepted, sipping at the beer leisurely over the past several minutes.

Suigetsu and Karin must have gotten into some hard liquor, as now they couldn't walk in even a remotely straight line and could hardly stand. Sasuke finished his beer in several minutes, sipping between drags of cigarette.

"They got some Captain Morgan here, Sasuke," Juugo muttered, drinking his own beer he'd just received from Kabuto.

"Yeah, you like that stuff," Sasuke shrugged.

"I should've known it would be too sweet for you," Juugo chuckled. "Besides, after that one time…"

"Enough," the sophomore grunted, holding his hand up to Juugo. He was, of course, referring to the only time Sasuke had ever been truly drunk. Juugo shook his head.

"That'll teach you to mix rum, vodka, and gin."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure you don't have any embarrassing freshman stories," he rebutted sarcastically.

Sasuke had only hearsay to go by. When Juugo had been a freshman, Sasuke hadn't even entered middle school yet.

"Embarrassing for you, maybe. They'll think anything's cool when you do it."

Sasuke huffed, swallowing a hearty mouthful of beer.

"I'm sick of it."

"It must be a pain in the ass, having everyone love you," Juugo teased with an arched brow.

"For pretty stupid reasons, in my opinion."

Juugo shrugged.

"I'll admit, it's a little short-sighted. But you know… I've noticed you've been a little more…toned down lately. You have a change of heart? Close call?"

He wondered what, exactly, Juugo was referring to. Had he really been acting differently? Maybe Juugo noticed that for the past week, he'd no longer been showing up to school with new items. He knew that Juugo had been keeping an eye on him in those regards.

"Eh… I need to be careful if I ever want to set foot inside a decent college."

The linebacker sighed, reclining into the soft back of the sofa.

"You know, Sasuke… Out of everyone in our demented little group, you definitely have the best chances. You really _should_ be careful."

Sasuke had started feeling a little dizzy, encountering a slight nausea every time he would turn his head. Yet he still took in Juugo's words, nodding slowly. He engaged Juugo in small talk as the minutes passed, Sasuke's responses growing increasingly terse. He felt entirely detached from his surroundings, a slurred voice speaking echoing in his head every now and again. Sasuke recognized it as his own. Feeling nauseous, Sasuke got a glass of water in the kitchen and grazed a coffee table with his hip on the way. Pouring the water was quite an effort, considering that there suddenly seemed to be two sinks instead of one in Kabuto's kitchen.

Sasuke didn't understand this. He had only had one beer, after all. How could his tolerance possibly be this low? Something wasn't adding up. Even Juugo's eyes were glassy now, his responses vacant and delayed. Suddenly, the four of them seemed hit pretty hard by the liquor. Sasuke kept to himself silently, giving only one word responses to any questions asked. His brain operated very slowly, fogged with these new sensations and a sense of nervousness. Finally, he leaned over to Juugo, slurring at him.

"Juugo..."

"Yeah?"

Sasuke frowned.

"Somethin's wrong. I feel out of it."

Juugo faced Sasuke, his eyes lidded.

"Huh? Oh, me too."

Suddenly, Sasuke sluggish mind had a revelation. Shit. He stumbled up to Kabuto, tugging him by his sleeve angrily. Their group of five was huddling together now, Suigetsu, Karin, Sasuke, and Juugo all vegged on the couch until Sasuke made his move. They were all within earshot.

"What did'ya put in the beers?"

Kabuto smirked.

"Consider it a party favor."

"Ya didn't answer."

Kabuto sighed, rolling his eyes.

"GHB."

Sasuke simply gaped back at him. Their parties up to date had been similar: booze, weed, and possibly pills. How could Kabuto find something as unusual as GHB? But there was an even more relevant question here.

"Why the fuck would ya do that?"

Kabuto shook his head, waving his hand to appease Sasuke.

"Don't trip out. People use GHB for fun all the time. It's pricey shit, but you four are my closer circle, after all. So just sit back and enjoy the ride."

Kabuto walked away. The only thing that Sasuke knew about GHB was that it could impair your memory, cause you to lose consciousness, and it was known as "the date rape drug." To say the least, this did nothing to reassure him. Hell, he'd only started drinking just over a year ago; he was entirely out of his element. Suigetsu began to laugh, loudly. He formed his hand into a point, throwing it at the ceiling like a rocket.

"Woo! Lift off!"

This was bad. He had to get out of here. Maybe Kabuto did only drug them to get them to loosen up, or for shits and giggles. But that was not a risk Sasuke was willing to take. He nudged Juugo.

"We should leave."

Juugo shook his head.

"Staying here's safer than me tryin' to drive. I'd prolly crash."

Sasuke supposed Juugo had a point, but it did nothing to relieve the sense of foreboding brewing in his gut. His nausea worsened, and his head began to ache. Sasuke found that his blinks were becoming longer and longer. Fussing around with leaving the party seemed like a bother, and he was exhausted.

He scanned the room. Karin and Suigetsu had blacked out on the sofa. How much had Kabuto given them? Juugo did not appear to be in danger of blacking out, since he'd been nowhere near as drunk as the other two before being drugged. But he did appear rather sluggish. Regardless, Juugo was 6'4" and had a good forty pounds on Sasuke. When Sasuke caught himself nodding off, he decided that he had to leave. This was just too dangerous.

Placing his ego aside, Sasuke asked anyone who owned a car for a ride home, explaining that he wasn't feeling well. Unfortunately, not a single person was sober enough to drive. It was just before ten, and the occupants likely weren't expecting to leave until the early hours of the morning. In the past, Juugo had been Sasuke's designated driver, but that wasn't flying tonight. He finally approached Kabuto, who was the only relatively sober person at the party.

"Kabuto, 'm sick. I need to go home."

Kabuto frowned.

"You're already leaving? You've barely been here a couple hours."

Sasuke refused to budge. He wouldn't be manipulated or guilted into staying. If Kabuto had wanted him to stay, he would've _offered_ Sasuke the substance like any even remotely reasonable human being. Sasuke did not appreciate being deceived into trying a hard drug. He believed it was more than clear that he would've rejected it.

"Take me home."

Kabuto laughed, putting his hand on Sasuke's shoulder and facing him.

"No."

Sasuke had nothing to say. He would have argued, but as disoriented as he was, a grade schooler would've posed a more formidable threat. He whipped Kabuto's hand off of his shoulder and staggered to the door, grabbing his black hoodie jacket as he left.


	17. Chapter 15

Sasuke hoped that a roaming police officer wouldn't pick him up as he approached the bus stop, swaying slightly from side to side. He'd never taken the bus from Kabuto's house to his own, so he was unfamiliar with the route. He studied the diagram at the stop through squinted eyes, trying to make out and process the words as they circled around each other. His memory was failing him, so he would have to focus closely on both the route number and the correct stop. He bit his lip roughly, trying to fight down the waves of nausea pouring up his stomach.

He hadn't wanted to go home like this, but what were the alternatives? He wouldn't dare call Itachi in this state. He didn't want to trouble him, and even if this weren't the case, Itachi was hours away. By the time Itachi arrived, Sasuke could very well be passed out on the side of the road. He wouldn't even know where to tell Naruto to pick him up, and like hell could he give Naruto bus routes and directions when he couldn't even see straight. Therefore, his best bet was likely bussing home.

He was tempted to tuck himself away somewhere obscure and sit out most of his high to preserve his dignity, but he was afraid of passing out. What if a cop found him? He also knew very little about GHB, or how long it would stay in his system. Was it possible to overdose on it? What if someone tried to mug him? He felt so helpless, and he tried to ignore the feelings of anxiety plaguing his mind. His brain was sluggish enough as is; he needed to keep his wits about him.

Juugo hadn't seemed anywhere near as high as he was. Now he remembered... After he was put on the highest dose of Zoloft, drinking became an entirely different experience for him. He became drunk faster, and it hurt his stomach worse. In fact, his psychiatrist told him not to drink it with alcohol at all. Ever since then, Sasuke had cut down on drinking significantly. It made sense that other drugs like GHB would affect him differently as well. Of course, Kabuto could not have been expected to know that, but this made little difference to Sasuke.

Sasuke glanced at his phone when the bus arrived and noted that it was just short of eleven. It was difficult for him to judge how much time had passed otherwise. Whether five minutes or fifteen minutes had passed on the way to the bus stop was beyond him. Fortunately, Itachi wasn't due home for several hours, but he did not look forward to facing Naruto like this. He flashed his bus card and trudged down to the last row, falling onto the seat and pulling his hood over his head to avoid being seen.

The nausea in his stomach was soon joined by a sharp pain in his lower gut. Sasuke began to regret his choice to take the back row when the bus jostled every time it hit an uneven spot of pavement, the teen barely refraining from vomiting. What was happening to his body? He was disoriented and in horrible pain. He tried to ignore his nervousness. It wasn't like this for everyone, right?

From observing the other three, he thought that his Zoloft could've had something to do with it. That was reassuring in one way, since this had likely not been Kabuto's intended effect. However, it made him wonder what else was in store for him as the drug ran its course. For a moment, he worried that he would pass out right on the bus. It took all of his discipline to stay alert, and he felt an immense relief when his stop was finally called.

Through blurred vision, he made out several familiar intersections. This was a relief, as he finally knew his way, but also a little unsettling. This particular part of the city was heavily patrolled by police. As if his thoughts had spoken, he was blinded by flashing red and blue lights zooming down the street in front of him. His mind, now stunted and prone to paranoia, wondered if they were coming for him. The car zipped past without paying him so much as a second thought. Clearly, Sasuke was not the most important thing on their agenda.

He had to be getting home quickly now. Although that cop was obviously preoccupied, he might've let others know that there was some kid stumbling around, alone and drugged, at eleven at night. Maybe this was a little paranoid, given how urgently the car had been barreling down the street, but he figured that he couldn't be too careful.

Aside from that, he wasn't sure how much longer he could stay on his feet. He could not rest. Each footstep was forced. Finally, he stumbled up to his stoop, keys scraping against the metal as they missed the keyhole. Sasuke finally succeeded in opening the door, feeling very pleased to be in the warmth and safety of his own home. He just hoped that Itachi hadn't come home early tonight.

The kitchen chair squeaked as Sasuke yanked it outward, collapsing and leaning forward on the table. He rested his forehead on his hand, kneading his temples as he groaned in pain. However, this wasn't to last as Sasuke's nausea finally got the better of him. He raced up the stairs, taking two at a time, and swung the toilet seat up. His stomach panged brutally as he finally gave in and vomited, his shoulders tense. He had not had time to close the door, and he heard footsteps behind him.

"Shit, S'uke. Someone partied a little hard tonight."

Sasuke would've been more embarrassed if he weren't in so much pain. He shooed Naruto away, but the blond refused to leave. Glued to the toilet, Sasuke couldn't exactly force him, and he couldn't find the strength to yell at him. The suffering intensified as he began to dry heave. Naruto cringed at the painful noises Sasuke was making, lifting Sasuke's hair out of his face and petting his forehead. Sasuke wished he would stop being so damned nice and leave him alone during such an unflattering moment.

"Sasuke, are you...sure you're okay?"

"Ye..."

Any attempts to speak elicited a powerful wave of nausea, so he merely nodded his head. Naruto watched Sasuke apprehensively, the concern on his face evident. In several minutes, Sasuke's body seemed to have emptied all of its contents. This, of course, seemed to take much longer to Sasuke. His stomach was already beginning to feel better, but the bathroom walls were still lengthening and shortening. He felt as if something was pushing him from side to side, and his legs were numb and tingly. He panted over the toilet bowl, his body covered in sweat.

Naruto guided him into the bedroom, one hand on each shoulder as Sasuke's numb feet dragged over each other. Sasuke fell into his bed with a huff.

"Jesus Christ, how much did you drink?"

"A beer," Sasuke replied weakly.

Naruto paused before speaking.

"I don't think one beer can do _that_."

Sober, this would have been against Sasuke's better judgment. As always, he would've wanted to keep Naruto separate from the other attributes of his life. But in his current state, his inhibitions were silent.

"One of my friends put somethin' in it."

Lying hadn't even occurred to Sasuke. He had no concept of secrecy, as most of his energy was being dedicated to staying conscious.

"What?! Well, what was it?"

"GHB," he admitted, his breathing becoming long as he closed his eyes.

Naruto gaped, momentarily at a loss for words. He'd been taught about that in his eighth grade health class. The only thing he remembered about it was that it was used to knock people out. Why would someone drug Sasuke? Had they wanted to do something to him?

"No offense, but your friends are fucking douchebags."

"'M aware," Sasuke groused.

Naruto sat next to Sasuke, watching Sasuke's face as his eyes shut, face into the pillow. Naruto sharply nudged his back, but Sasuke didn't stir. His pale forehead was sweaty, and his lips were cold.

"Sasuke?"

His eyes were shut tight.

"Sasuke, you're scaring me..."

Naruto's voice was urgent, causing Sasuke to groan back at him.

"I have no idea what this drug does or how dangerous it is, but I'm not letting you fall asleep."

Sasuke nodded, allowing Naruto to prop his head up against the wall with a pillow and get him a glass of water to sip on. Sasuke had no idea what he would be doing right now had Naruto not been here, and he was immensely grateful for his presence. He was too tired to do much speaking, but Naruto chattered, trying to keep his friend alert. The raven only caught about half of it, but he did his best to focus.

Almost two hours had passed since Sasuke came home. Naruto's words were making more sense to him, and he was able to comfortably respond through a mild slur. Sasuke lifted himself out of bed and washed his mouth out. He brushed his teeth thoroughly. Afterward, he swigged Listerine for much longer than was probably necessary. That felt much better. He returned back to the bed with unsure footsteps. Naruto lay down next to him, allowing himself to relax after Sasuke had improved.

"What kind of people are you hanging out with, Sasuke?"

His wit was slow, and even sober, he wasn't sure he would've known how to answer that.

"Douchebags, remember?"

Sasuke's voice would go in and out, between echoing in his skull and sounding somewhat normal. He was beginning to sober up, but his progress was rocky. He had moments of lucidity scattered amidst a diminishing daze.

"I'm being serious."

Sasuke sighed, his glazed eyes looking back towards Naruto.

"Not the best crowd."

Naruto shook his head, rubbing Sasuke's temple.

"Do you know what I would do to be in your situation? You're lucky, Sasuke. Especially when you're such a good kid, this seems like a waste."

Sasuke grunted, realizing he was right. He must've seemed so spoiled to Naruto right now. Some people would indeed kill to have the resources Sasuke had at his disposal. He wished that he could give Naruto these resources too. Naruto deserved them; it just wasn't fair. But was Sasuke really one of the good kids?

"After this? I'm done."

Juugo was the only one amidst the lot of him that Sasuke was interested in staying in contact with. It just didn't seem worth it anymore.

"Make sure it stays that way. I've seen what it can do."

Sasuke nodded. He had a strong will, and he knew he could shake them if he really wanted to. He also felt that he didn't have a real emotional attachment with them to begin with, other than Juugo. They took the edge off, but now he had Naruto to distract him. Sasuke believed his resolve would be much stronger with him around, though he would not allow himself to abandon Juugo. Interactions might become a little complicated from here on out, but he'd consider the details while in a clearer state of mind.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I didn't mean to do this to you. I feel like an idiot."

These were words that would have never been spoken had Sasuke been sober. He had only felt this way a handful of times, and even then, like hell would he admit it. It brought a smile out of Naruto as he stroked his fingers through Sasuke's bangs.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sure you're smart enough not to take drinks from strangers. Your guard was down because it was your friend. Just be more careful next time."

"Huh?" Sasuke answered. He felt his high creeping back again, confusing him. His brain somehow ceased function half way into Naruto's sentences. It took a few seconds for him to replay Naruto's words in his mind and make sense out of them. "Never mind, I got it."

Sasuke sighed, wiping the sweat on his forehead away with his sleeve.

"God, this is so embarrassing," he spoke with the slightest slur.

He hated how honest this substance made him. It seemed like the second he thought something, his mouth was speaking it. Admitting embarrassment had to be almost as embarrassing for Sasuke as what had happened beforehand. He decided to focus his eyes on a random book he'd placed on his desk. Naruto chuckled.

"Imagine how I feel. I sound like that all the time."

Sasuke smiled back at Naruto, appreciating the self-deprecating humor. It reassured him that he wasn't being judged.

"Hm. Good point."

"You asshole!" Naruto shouted through laughter. "You're supposed to contradict me! I was trying to make you feel better!"

Naruto playfully pushed Sasuke, which made Sasuke feel like there were miraculously more food particles that needed to be abruptly purged from his body. Sasuke quickly held his stomach.

"Ugh, don't do that."

"Ah, sorry…"

Sasuke frowned, rubbing at his sore temples. Naruto had told him to be more careful next time. Up until he realized he'd been drugged, he thought he was playing it safe.

"I usually have at least a couple drinks, but I didn't want to disappoint Itachi again. I had nothing until they finally talked me into one beer, which was enough I guess."

That's what really disturbed Sasuke. It would have been one thing if he were being knowingly reckless and ended up like this, but this showed him that his "careful" was not careful enough. He could've had several beers, some hard liquor, smoked some weed… Hell, maybe he could've even done some coke with the college students, though he'd never considered it for an instant. But no, he stayed in a corner reluctantly entertaining drunkards over a pack of cigarettes until he decided to have a mere eight ounces of beer.

Sasuke took a sip of water, trying to focus his eyes on the glass as he held it in front of his face. He would never have been so talkative in any other situation. He wasn't attempting to make excuses. In any other state of mind, those words would have never been anything but thoughts.

"That was me trying to be careful. I get it now though. Like you say, I just shouldn't put myself in these situations."

Naruto nodded, glad that Sasuke was understanding his situation. He just hoped that these revelations wouldn't be forgotten by morning.

"I'll hold you to that later."

Naruto took Sasuke's water cup and took a swig out of it, feeling a little thirsty himself. Wasn't Sasuke a little young to be drinking anyhow? He'd never heard Sasuke mention drinking before tonight, actually. For all he knew, Sasuke could've never had a sip of alcohol in his life. He always seemed to be finding out new things about Sasuke, and it made him wonder what else lay ahead.

"Do you drink a lot?"

Maybe it wasn't the best idea for Sasuke to drink, especially at his age. But Naruto knew how Sasuke hated to be lectured. They'd made enough progress for one night, so he'd let it rest for now.

"No… Not really. Only with friends, and even then only a little."

At least this much was reassuring. Naruto perked a brow, trying not to let his curiosity get the best of him.

"Have you ever been drunk?"

"Once. Smashed," Sasuke admitted.

Naruto rested his head on his hand, intrigued when he really shouldn't have been.

"What was it like?"

Was it wrong to be curious? He'd seen people drunk many times. Hell, his most recent foster parent seemed more than fond of drinking. But it had never been something he was comfortable inquiring about. It rarely came up in daily conversation, and even if it had, it was a rather humiliating question to ask anyone, especially an adult. Sasuke, however… He was comfortable with him.

"Horrible. Don't know what people see in it."

"Really? I couldn't figure out whether it was good or bad. Some people start laughing and others start crying or yelling… It's one confusing liquid."

Sasuke shrugged.

"I just don't like not knowing what I'm doing."

Like now, for instance. He only had partial control over what he was saying and understanding, and he hated it. Fortunately, he seemed to slowly be gaining awareness. It could not come quickly enough.

Sasuke needed to have a certain barrier that separated him from the outside world, and substances seemed to knock this carefully constructed wall down. A buzz was fine, but anything beyond that brought him more discomfort than pleasure. He knew his limits and stuck by them religiously.

"You've never been drunk?" Sasuke asked quietly.

Naruto smiled nervously, feeling a bit innocent now.

"Nope! Some other bum offered me beer once, but he was kinda creepy so I told him no. Though I've had wine coolers before."

"I see," Sasuke nodded. "Those are very sweet."

Naruto squinted his eyes and scratched his chin.

"Yeah, but they're a little too strong for me."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile, but he said nothing. He wondered if Naruto knew how comparatively weak those things really were, though perhaps this was for the best. What would a drunk Naruto would be like? As if he weren't enough of a handful already…

His vision began to blur again. When would this stuff finally leave his system? He began to cough, and he wasn't sure why. He took a long gulp of water, and before he knew it, his head was in Naruto's lap. He wasn't sure how this had happened, his memory failing him. He might have ordinarily protested, but he allowed it to comfort him, nuzzling into Naruto's leg.

A few minutes must have passed, from Sasuke's judgment. Naruto would look down at Sasuke occasionally, words obviously on the tip of his tongue. Sasuke's clammy fingers clawed at Naruto's snagged sleeve as the nausea returned. Sasuke's discomfort was obvious to Naruto as his pale muscles flinched. Naruto finally bent over, kissing Sasuke's sweat-sheened forehead.

"I hope I didn't show it much, but you had me really scared."

Unfocused eyes shifted up to Naruto in response. The blond reminded him of his mother, nursing him back to health through a fever with a peck to the forehead. Naruto didn't speak much now, staring at Sasuke calmly for a few moments. Naruto seemed pretty exhausted himself, and their eyes caught each other's for several seconds.

Perhaps, in this crazy state of mind, he was able to feel more than he normally did. He experienced a surge of affection towards Naruto. His emotions had done a lot of funny things that night, but he finally felt relaxed and safe. He felt the inklings of something that might be known as love, but as drugged as he was, his emotions all muddled together. He didn't know what he was feeling; he had no words for his thoughts and emotions. Almost instinctively, he reached out towards Naruto, tugging him in by his shirt collar and pressing a resolute kiss against his lips.

For a moment, Naruto's body seemed to fail him. From the beginning of their arrangement, he had tried to ignore how badly it hurt to be so near Sasuke, yet so far. They shared a room every day, yet he knew so little of Sasuke's school, his friends, or his brother. They shared a bed, yet they'd never shared a kiss. He loved and hated waking up with Sasuke's head on his shoulder, because it was so easy to pretend, to deny the truth. Sasuke handled everyone with distance. Why would Naruto be an exception? Whether he was falling for Sasuke or not… Sasuke was who he was, and it was best to just accept that fact.

And what did Sasuke know about Naruto? Even less, perhaps. He knew the laughing Naruto, the joking Naruto, (the hungry Naruto). As little as Naruto knew about Sasuke's present, Sasuke knew even less of Naruto's past. If they started that sort of relationship, Naruto would eventually feel obligated to face his demons and explain what events in his life led him to meet Sasuke in Saint Magdalene's soup kitchen in rags. How would Sasuke's feelings change once he really got to know Naruto?

He kept his lips lightly shut, but he didn't resist either. His mind seemed to visit a million places, yet nowhere all at once. For a long time, this had been exactly what he wanted. This was what he'd dreamed of. But Sasuke was high. His voice was still slurring. Did he even understand what he was doing? Did he understand how much it would hurt him if Sasuke pretended that nothing had happened the next day? It was stuff like this that gave him false hope. Naruto pushed Sasuke away, smiling sadly as he addressed him.

"If you're going to kiss me, have it mean something."

Normally, Sasuke would've been better at hiding his hurt. This wasn't like the casual, meaningless kisses or touches he'd given out of boredom and hormones at parties. For the first time in quite a while, there was actual feeling in it. It figured that this would also be his first time being turned down. He'd even dreamed of kissing Naruto, among a wide range of other acts. He knew how much Naruto liked him, so he hadn't expected his first taste of rejection to be tonight. Yet he recovered quickly.

Fortunately, he was at least sober enough to understand where Naruto was coming from. Naruto wasn't the type of guy to do something like this when it seemed so tarnished. Sasuke guessed that Naruto was somewhat of a romantic at heart. And he understandably needed to know that this wasn't the drugs talking. Sasuke felt a little regretful over acting so impulsively.

"I'll show you what I meant later. I can wait."

Naruto smiled back at him, still both hesitant and skeptical. There was no way a guy like Sasuke could feel that way about him. Sasuke had dozens of people to choose from. How could someone as intelligent, attractive, and popular as Sasuke ever want _him_? Naruto would not allow Sasuke's actions to get his hopes up. It was simply too good to be true.

* * *

A/N: Another chapter! Phew. I hope everyone enjoys! Looks like the boys are getting a little closer.

Reviews, reviews! Thanks so much to everyone who's given me feedback. I love seeing how people feel about the characters and the plot. I've actually gotten a few ideas from you guys, so if you're liking what you read, it just might be there because of you. :)

I _might_ be writing a few side fics for this story in the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled. I'll probably save it as a separate story, so if you want to catch it, subscribe to me.


	18. Chapter 16

Sasuke and Naruto both slept until nearly noon on Saturday. Sasuke's body needed the time to recuperate, and Naruto didn't fall asleep until four that morning. Sasuke woke up to a sharp pain in the gut and a sweaty shirt. Before really waking up, or thinking of the night before, he gingerly made his way over to the shower and beheld one nasty case of bedhead in the mirror with a mental wince.

The sight of his reflection kicked his memory into gear. He remembered a party and being drugged by Kabuto. He remembered seeing Karin and Suigetsu passed out on the couch and briefly wondered where they were now. He remembered feeling trapped and just a second of pain he experienced as he tried not to vomit on the bus. Is that how he got home? He didn't remember entering his house. His next memory was lying in his bed, with Naruto bringing him a glass of water and fussing over him like a mother hen. And then… Oh shit.

So, he'd kissed his best friend. And he'd been rejected. While he wasn't as pleased about that last part, he felt oddly comfortable with what had happened after the shock subsided. Actually, he even felt a little bit relieved, although anxious about how Naruto would react to this. He had been in the process of understanding his emotions since that night when Naruto had comforted him after he had fought with his brother. Now things were much clearer.

Of course, given that Naruto was living with him, this could become complicated. He'd thought about this. He knew that he could control his emotions and treat Naruto decently, even should things go sour. Naruto, however… Although how much longer could Naruto possibly stay with him? He couldn't lose track of Naruto. For the first time in quite a while, he'd found someone he passionately cared about. He wondered what he could do for Naruto, since his friend was obviously restraining his crush, rather painfully. This was a calculated risk which Sasuke was alright with taking.

Fortunately, this was one of the rare weekends when Sasuke didn't have much homework. He texted Suigetsu to check up on his other three friends, who were all fine apparently. The two vegged around the house in their pajamas until the early afternoon, watching crappy daytime television and streaming House when they'd given up on said television. They would have the house to themselves until early Sunday morning, so Sasuke cooked them a slightly late lunch which they called brunch to make themselves feel a little less lazy.

He noticed that Naruto was particularly distant that afternoon as he picked at his scrambled eggs. Normally, the contents of his plate would have been inhaled within the first five minutes. He smiled at Sasuke whenever he teased him rather than teasing back, and he used words like "please" and "thank you." The sudden appearance of manners was frankly rather unnerving to Sasuke, and their typical banter became one-sided. The next commercial break came, a woman in a bikini eating a juicy burger and dribbling sauce down her cleavage.

Sasuke sighed, "I've never understood these burger porn commercials."

It was rare for Sasuke to make the first attempt at humor, or even to care about awkward silences. It felt strange to him to actually care what someone else was thinking and how they felt.

"Heh."

Naruto's response seemed shallow and almost unhappy. What was wrong with him? It probably had something to do with last night. He remembered that look Naruto had given him after he'd attempted to kiss him, and it seemed similar to his expressions now - the same forced amusement and happiness. He knew that a crush on Naruto's end did not necessarily mean a desire for a relationship. It was tempting to turn a blind eye, to avoid all the awkwardness. But he got the feeling that this wasn't something he should neglect.

"If you were wondering, I remember."

Sasuke's voice was stark, breaking the quiet between them.

"Ah…"

"I want you to know that I don't regret it."

Naruto nodded, staring at the table's woodwork. Sasuke was getting sick of this.

"What's with you? If you hated it that much, you can say so."

Naruto shook his head, surprised that Sasuke would interpret things in such a way.

"No, actually. I think it's the opposite."

Sasuke tried not to sound annoyed. He wanted to be patient, especially after what he'd put Naruto through last night.

"Then what's the problem? You've been acting weird all day."

Naruto seemed afraid to look at Sasuke. He fumbled with the bottom seam of his T-shirt.

"When you say you don't regret it, what do you mean?"

Sasuke had no problem staring directly into Naruto's eyes. He'd never confessed romantic feelings to anyone before. He was used to always being harassed and pursued. Yet his ego could handle rejection, though he certainly prayed that Naruto would respond favorably.

"I mean that I'd kiss you again."

"So..."

Naruto began to idly scratch at a scratch on the table's finish, stalling as best he could. Sasuke, meanwhile, wished that Naruto would just get to the punch.

Naruto trailed, "Does that mean that you..._like_ like me?"

Sasuke stared at Naruto with an arched brow. _Like_ like? He could've sworn that he hadn't heard anyone talk like that since grade school.

"You can be so dense sometimes," the Uchiha sighed.

Quite apparently, Naruto was nothing short of baffled. This couldn't really be happening, could it? Sasuke had no idea how it could have taken Naruto so long to piece this together, after everything that had occurred between them. How could he possibly be so oblivious?

"But... Why? Why me?"

Sasuke wasn't touching that question with a ten foot pole. As if he had the ability to explain something like that...

"Don't ask awkward questions."

Naruto's cheeks turned a light pink as he continued to stare at his lap. Things were finally coming out into the open... At least from Sasuke's angle. He'd fessed up, and now he was in limbo. Any time now, some sort of real answer would be wonderful.

"Are you going to say anything worthwhile, or are you just going to keep staring at your crotch?"

Naruto looked back up at Sasuke, his eyes quickly averting when they contacted Sasuke's confident orbs. Naruto puzzled at how Sasuke could seem so intimidating when he was in such a vulnerable position.

"I'm sorry, it's just... I thought you were straight."

So had he, actually. He'd had hints to the contrary since he was a child, but only recently had he become certain. He knew that many guys his age would've been concerned by this, but honestly, he didn't give a damn.

"Doesn't look like it."

How the hell could Sasuke be so composed and brazen at such a time? In Sasuke's situation, he would have been a ball of nerves. But that was just like Sasuke, and perhaps that was one of the things that drew him in. In Sasuke's confidence, he found security.

"Are you sure?"

Sasuke frowned, understanding Naruto's doubt. He had assumed that Naruto knew how Sasuke felt about him. He had no idea how Naruto could have missed the signs, but was it really such a shocker? The kid could be so spacey. But given that this was all new to Naruto, he realized that this must have been overwhelming for him.

"I know how I feel about you, Naruto. I'm not an uncertain sort of guy," he insisted.

Naruto's irises met Sasuke's again, the bright blue seeming to quiver. But he was finally able to look back at him.

"I feel the same way about you, but isn't it kind of…scary? Sooner or later, I'm going to have to leave. What if we never see each other again?"

Now it was Sasuke's eyes that looked away. This was a despised fact that he was very well aware of. He hated losing people, but this was the only thing in his life that he'd actually been excited about in quite a while. Perhaps both of them were scared.

"Yeah... I'm surprised it lasted this long, truthfully."

Their faces both seemed to drag, neither particularly uplifted by the sentiment. Sasuke wouldn't leave it on that note.

"What's gonna happen to us?" Naruto asked, his voice tinged with fear.

Sasuke wouldn't let on that he was perhaps every bit as frightened as Naruto. He'd really made himself vulnerable this time, and it was so unlike him. He _really_ cared about this guy. He could possibly even get his first dose of teenage heartbreak, but he was even more concerned about Naruto.

"I don't know, but even when my brother finds you… We need to decide what our plan of action is soon, but I _will_ figure something out. I doubt you'd move farther than the trains run, and I buy month passes anyway. I could afford to ride it every day if I had to, to make sure you're okay. I would."

Naruto paused, astonished that Sasuke would go this far out of his way, for him of all people. Sasuke had always seemed selfish, but when his very few loved ones came into the picture, Naruto was astonished by how much his personality could shift. Considering everything that Sasuke had already done for him, he doubted it was just talk. Sasuke didn't seem like the sort of guy who would make false promises anyhow.

Whether Sasuke could figure out living arrangements for him was debatable, but Sasuke always seemed so sure of himself... Maybe he really could. He hated to admit how many times Sasuke had bailed him out of trouble. Dammit, it wasn't his fault that he was stuck in such a vulnerable situation! Naruto suddenly realized that he had been forgetting to breathe, his lower lip trembling.

Sasuke smiled.

"You look so scared when you do that."

Naruto hmf'd back at him, wishing that Sasuke wouldn't notice such things. He didn't want to look feeble. He could hold his own. Sasuke considered saying something reassuring, but he thought against it in interest of preserving Naruto's pride.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away last night. I think...I wanted it to be genuine _too_ much, so I didn't know if I could take it if it wasn't, you know? That's why I didn't want to believe you liked me. I didn't know what I'd do if I was wrong."

Sasuke nodded. As Naruto's words were becoming stronger and more emotional, Sasuke seemed to be the one retreating. He didn't know how to talk about things like this. Suddenly, he felt out of place. He was glad that Naruto had told him what he did, but Sasuke couldn't express himself in return. His mind was racing, yet as always, he couldn't find the words to explain himself. The only difference now was that if could've found those words, he might have actually considered speaking them.

"I should've known it was willful denial. Even you couldn't be that stupid."

Sasuke felt much more comfortable speaking like this. Sasuke took a long exhale, leaning his elbow on the table and nearing Naruto.

"But you really need to snap out of it now."

Sasuke knew of one way he could help Naruto with that. It was nowhere near as easy when he was sober, but he couldn't hesitate. He couldn't get away with dipping his feet in the water here; he had to take the dive. He gripped his hand around Naruto's forearm, pulling the blond in close to him and locking lips with him. His tongue confidently requested entrance as the Uchiha reassuringly kneaded the flesh of Naruto's forearm. Even as their lips touched, Sasuke could hardly believe that he was actually doing this.

Just like the night before, Naruto's brain was on overload. There was no way this could be happening, after all of the months he had longed after Sasuke. Sasuke had a full night to sleep on matters, and he'd explained his interest both confidently and convincingly. He was sober and in a rational state of mind. So why was this happening? He supposed there was no limit to the amount of time he could spend secondguessing the situation. He squeezed Sasuke's arm back to calm his fears, meeting the paler boy halfway and opening his mouth. Against his will, Sasuke gave a low moan of approval.

Naruto seemed to have gotten a sudden gust courage, locking his fingers into the side of Sasuke's thick locks and wrestling his tongue against Sasuke's. The mood was flipping from loving and eager to hungry and lustful. This had been a long time coming, Sasuke thought. All of their awkwardness, the moments one caught the other staring, the times they'd fall asleep on each other, the simple pecks on the back and forehead... They had all led up to this. As long as they had both waited, they seemed impatient now.

Kissing a man wasn't so different. The flesh against Sasuke's hands was rougher, and Naruto's hair was shorter. Yet the psychological aspect of this was another story. A couple months ago, he would have never believed that he would fall for another man. It felt strange, oddly taboo, to be doing such a thing. In all honesty, it only aroused him more.

Naruto's forehead clenched as their tongues entwined around each other, Sasuke's smooth and pale lips momentarily sticking against Naruto's rough ones. Sasuke tugged at Naruto's lower lip with his teeth, causing Naruto to moan, twist the fabric of Sasuke's shirt in his fist, and yank the raven closer. Naruto trailed kisses down Sasuke's jawline, nibbling where it ended just below his ear. Frustrated by the wooden seats that kept them apart, Sasuke stood, balancing himself against Naruto's chair by resting his knee between Naruto's legs.

The blond momentarily hitched as Sasuke's hands ventured under his shirt, feeling along his chest and abdominals. He draped his arms over Sasuke's back, allowing the other full access as he bit his earlobe and tugged. Sasuke appeared to take that as a challenge, jerking Naruto's head back by wheat locks and licking down the front of his neck. Naruto's adam's apple slid up and down through his panting, Sasuke nipping it lightly as he felt a hardness begin to emerge by his knee. The larger of the two smirked, rubbing his knee gently against Naruto's crotch to offer some friction, which Naruto gladly accepted.

Naruto grabbed either side of Sasuke's shirt, bossily tugging it upwards. He wanted to feel Sasuke's skin against him, wanting to see his taut muscles and his chest's movement as he breathed. Sasuke returned the favor, swooping Naruto's shirt over his head. Tanned abs clenched every time the blond grinded minutely against Sasuke's knee. Peppering kisses down the side of Sasuke's neck, Naruto latched onto the flesh just inside of his shoulder and sucked.

They were going rather quickly, weren't they? Sasuke had seriously just been expecting to share a kiss, then do some more talking to reassure Naruto. Maybe they would slowly progress, leisurely moving from one body part to the next. He'd noticed Naruto staring many times before. Their encounters had been awkward and timid, almost endearing. He knew that they were attracted to each other, but he had yet to witness actual _lust_ from Naruto. As uncertain as Naruto had been this afternoon, he certainly hadn't expected to see it today. Naruto was fighting back.

"God, Naru..."

Naruto smirked at Sasuke's noises and the angry purple mark left behind. He had known that with Sasuke's pale skin, a hickey couldn't be missed. He wanted to mark Sasuke as his own, and he wanted Sasuke to remember what was happening now every time he saw it. Sasuke knew why Naruto was satisfied and he didn't mind it. In fact, he'd prefer to have some souvenir, to remember the details of this lazy Saturday for weeks. He'd have to return the favor to Naruto later. As their bodies moved together, bare shoulders and chests bumped.

Sasuke had never felt his emotions surge this way during an act as simple as making out. It was entirely new to him, both exhilarating and a little dizzying. Sasuke dragged his palms down Naruto's chest, pinching his nipple just after Naruto had marked him. His thumb rubbed his thumb over it apologetically as Naruto leaned back into his seat, the movement of his hips more pronounced now. Sasuke felt his own need rise between his legs, a sweat gathering around his forehead and shoulders.

Naruto kissed down Sasuke's chest, swirling his tongue around his nipple and flattening it against the budding flesh. He kissed down Sasuke's stomach, his descent limited by their current posture. Sasuke dragged this thumb under Naruto's waistband, only for Naruto to sharply direct his hand upwards. Sasuke understood Naruto's reservations and didn't push the other. It was rather soon, but Sasuke's hormones had gotten the best of him in that moment. Thus, he was very confused when Naruto directed the Uchiha off of him so that he was standing, the blond getting on his knees and pulling down Sasuke's waistband.

Sasuke knew where this was going. Even for him, this felt like it was moving a little quickly. It seemed contradictory, since he had done this same act with girls he felt nothing for. He felt that everything he did with Naruto had meaning. However, his hormones rampaging and his cock perking up more by the second, like hell was he going to stop him. It felt surreal, watching his best friend sliding his pajama pants down with his eager face staring hungrily between his legs.

Naruto smirked as Sasuke's pants slid off, his cock bouncing free as he tugged them down Sasuke's ass. So, it seemed Sasuke had a penchant for going commando. Sasuke gasped quietly as the cold air hit the heated organ, hanging half erect and willing. How had Naruto become the leader? What happened to the stuttering, the insecurity? Before Sasuke had time to adjust, Naruto grasped Sasuke's dick below the head and roughly licked over the tip.

"Shit..."

Sasuke's fingers clawed into Naruto's bare shoulders as his clenched eyes frowned downwards. Sapphire orbs glanced up at Sasuke's face, observing triumphantly the expressions he was making. Sasuke clenched his teeth, trying to remain silent as Naruto teasingly swirled his tongue around the head. His cock was beginning to swell and redden, becoming increasingly sensitive. Parallel red marks pronounced themselves on Naruto's shoulder as Sasuke's nails dragged against his skin.

Thin fingers found purchase in the thick hair on the crown of Naruto's head. Sasuke was quickly becoming impatient, languidly pulling Naruto's head closer into him. Naruto merely smirked and glanced up at him, reveling in the power he held over the younger male. Sasuke always seemed to be the one up front. He kept him off the streets, fed him, even initiated this exchange... But now Sasuke would need something from _him_. The expressions that displayed on Sasuke's stubborn face were up to Naruto now.

Naruto finally took the bottom third of Sasuke's cock into his mouth, moving his tongue back and forth over the roof of his mouth to create suction. Sasuke was still silent. This was becoming something of a power struggle, and the Uchiha was persistent as always. Naruto knew this well, and he was determined to force Sasuke into breaking his silence. Naruto began to bob his head, dragging his tongue along the sensitive vein on the underside of Sasuke's manhood. Sasuke's bare toes clenched into the ground as Naruto began to move more quickly, sucking harder. Sasuke might be able to keep his mouth shut, but his body was a dead giveaway. Who was that bastard fooling?

Naruto gently traced the pointer finger over the crease in Sasuke's balls, ghosting it along each outwards curve afterwards. They were growing painfully hard, begging for release. Naruto began to tap them with the roughened tips of his fingers, the texture tingling and stimulating the sensitive flesh.

Sasuke emitted a low moan, despite himself. Naruto was...good at this, and the raven found himself wondering just how much experience he really had. At this rate, this could end up being one of the best, if not _the_ best, blow jobs he'd ever received. It made sense, however, that a gay man would give better head than a high school female. After all, they had the same hardware. Sasuke would have rather died than admit this, but it made him wonder how his skills would compare to Naruto's. Sasuke had never even done this before.

Naruto finally took as much of Sasuke in as his mouth would allow, his scarred cheeks hollowing and brilliant eyes closing in concentration as he pumped. Sasuke felt the tip of his cock hammer against the back of Naruto's mouth, the pressure pulling beads of precum out of Sasuke's swollen need. Sasuke swore through his pants.

"Fuck... Naru, I'm close..."

He'd come to love this nickname the other had given him, as simple as it was. It made him feel closer to Sasuke, the blond moaning into Sasuke's cock. Naruto circled the exposed portion near the base of Sasuke's dick with his palm, pumping with his mouth and hand in unison. His entire organ now was engulfed, and Sasuke was powerless to stop the surges of pleasure racking his body.

"Now..."

His vision flashed white as he heard himself moan more loudly than he could ever recall, the building pressure finally exploding into Naruto's mouth. All of his efforts to keep his voice quiet seemed to backfire against him at this very last moment, much to Naruto's satisfaction. Naruto sucked the pearly substance away, Sasuke's hips jerking unintentionally as several diminishing spurts followed. The Uchiha twitched as Naruto allowed Sasuke's now flaccid cock to slide out of his mouth, his body buzzing loudly with the aftermath of his orgasm. Sasuke was right. Naruto really did know what he was doing.

The raven's knees fell to the floor. He wasted no time in roughly guiding Naruto's face to his lips, his tongue lashed against Naruto's molars, the roof of his mouth, any tissue it could find. Naruto's tongue vied against it, jutting past the intruding muscle and finding its way back into the mouth of the Uchiha. Sasuke could taste himself in Naruto's mouth, a dab of cum on the man's chin smearing between them.

Their hungry kiss had not abated when Sasuke's hand ventured downward, feeling Naruto's stiff sex through the thin cloth of his pajama pants. As he had earlier, he attempted to ease down the waistband. However, just as before, Naruto quickly directed him away. Their lips parted, Sasuke speaking through a pant.

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to let me return the favor?"

It was odd that Naruto had just seemed so confident, as his face quickly flushed a dark pink. Here Sasuke thought that they'd quite effectively gotten past Naruto's nervousness.

"It's just that... Up until now, not much was different than it would be with a girl. So it wasn't that new to you."

Sasuke arched a brow, exasperatedly encouraging the blond to continue.

"But you know, I got man parts down there."

Seriously, the things that left this guy's mouth... Sasuke deadpanned, wondering why he was really surprised.

"Yes, I took that into consideration," Sasuke responded sarcastically.

Naruto's eyes fell away as he searched for the confidence to continue.

"What if...it's too much? You might wake up tomorrow and wonder what you were thinking. What if I scare you away?"

Sasuke cradled Naruto's face in his large palm, running his thumb along the raised skin on Naruto's cheek.

"I don't scare so easily. Believe me, I know what I want."

Sasuke dragged his hand down the front of Naruto's hips, stopping at the needy flesh between his thighs. Their foreheads leaning together, Sasuke smirked sensuously at the heat radiating outwards.

"Besides, look at how hard you are. Do you really want to deny yourself this?"

Naruto flushed a darker red as attention was brought to his arousal. Of _course_ he didn't want to deny himself this. This had been the stuff that fueled his fantasies, and holding out now was nothing short of painful. But all the same...

"I...really think we should wait. Just to be sure."

Sasuke sighed. Modesty wasn't a frequent trait for Naruto, and of course it had to rear its head now of all times. Sasuke wished that Naruto would stop being so bashful and just believe him. Sasuke would know his own feelings better than anyone else, but Naruto seemed to doubt him every step of the way. He'd even seen him naked before; this was silly. Yet he couldn't bring himself to be too frustrated, the way Naruto fidgeted awkwardly. Honestly, there were aspects of this situation that made Sasuke nervous as well.

"Okay, we'll wait. But what kind of lover would I be if I left you unsatisfied?"

Naruto's heart thud as Sasuke spoke. Whenever he felt too optimistic about the bed or the closer moments they shared, Naruto reminded himself that Sasuke was just a friend. His best friend, actually, but still just a friend. Now Sasuke had just called Naruto his lover. It still sounded foreign to him, but it was something he could easily get used to. This wasn't messing around, was it? This wasn't friends with benefits. No, they were lovers.

Sasuke reached down, wrapping his hand around Naruto's clothed dick and giving it an experimental pump.

"Is this alright?"

Naruto whimpered at the contact, his hips unconsciously pushing his member into Sasuke's hands. Given that Naruto refused to expose himself, Sasuke was somewhat limited in his approach. Nonetheless, as he shimmied his palm up Naruto's shaft and tapped the tip of his dick with his thumb, Naruto's body jerked with a needy whine. At that point, Sasuke knew he'd have fun playing with him.

Sasuke made Naruto's fortunately smooth pajama pants comfortably taut against his cock to avoid unwanted friction. He speckled his fingertips on the opposing hand from Naruto's tailbone up his bare spine, causing the blond to arch sharply against his touch. Meanwhile, he pumped Naruto's cock through the fabric. God, it was so extraordinarily tempting to tell Sasuke to do away with the pants. It felt good, but he knew that he could be feeling so much _more_.

Naruto was already almost completely erect. Sasuke hoped, perhaps against reason, that in the heat of the moment, Naruto would see those damned pants as the nuisance they really were. This teased Sasuke almost as much as it teased Naruto. He wanted to force Naruto to make those same sounds he had as he finally reached orgasm.

He did owe Naruto some repayment, however. Never halting the movement of his palm against Naruto's sex, he kissed down the side of Naruto's neck and sucked at his shoulder. Calloused, tan hands quickly fastened onto Sasuke's well-managed locks, a groan sounding as Naruto allowed himself to feel owned. Naruto's skin was both darker and thicker, so much to Sasuke's chagrin, Naruto's mark was not as evident as his own. Sasuke had always been an easy bruiser.

Sasuke kissed down Naruto's chest, the lidded blue eyes staring down at his feathery hair. Sasuke dragged his tongue around Naruto's areola, painstakingly avoiding the nipple as he softly blew on the dampened skin. The resulting cold caused Naruto's nipple to perk, Sasuke taking the opportunity to follow a lick cross it with a quick nibble. Naruto's breath caught at the slight pang. Placing one hand on Sasuke's shoulder for balance, Naruto began to longingly thrust into Sasuke's quickly operating hand.

Sasuke leaned down, smirking at the sight of precum staining the front of Naruto's pants. A blush spanned Naruto's cheeks, to the very tips of his ears.

"Shut up, bastard," he panted.

Sasuke leaned down, taking the head of Naruto's cock into his mouth through the thin cloth. Was he bending the rules? But it wasn't _bare_, after all. He faintly tasted Naruto's cum through the fabric. It was difficult for Sasuke to maintain suction, the cloth inconveniently breaking his seal. Wetting his tongue, Sasuke lapped at the swollen tip, quickly flicking his tongue where he knew the slit to be. This would be as good of an introduction to giving head as any.

The shorter man cursed his overly reactive body. Hell, he hadn't even taken his pants off, and somehow Sasuke was ushering him to the brink of orgasm. What was wrong with him? He couldn't take his eyes off the raven, attempting to commit to memory the image of his pale, handsome features pressed against his most sensitive flesh. Oh god, eye contact. Sasuke just caught him staring, and of course that asshole had to be all cocky and sultry about it. His dark eyes and hair, his pale skin…

As Sasuke dampened the fabric around Naruto's cock, the nuances of his tongue were more pronounced. The increased friction caused Naruto's thighs to quake, the wetness allowing the Uchiha to create a suction between his mouth and Naruto's flesh. Even with his best efforts, how far could he really take Naruto with no direct contact? Naruto was already so greedy. Sasuke longed to see Naruto's face when he gave him what he _really_ wanted.

Just a moment. That wouldn't bother him. He finally slid his tongue through the slight opening in the front of Naruto's pants, directly licking the swollen skin within. It was just a quick slip. He hadn't seen anything; he'd just grazed Naruto. The blond gasped, instinctively clawing at Sasuke's hair and twitching. After all of the muted touches, the barrier between them, the temperature and texture of Sasuke's tongue on his bare manhood felt godly.

"Y-yes. God yes," Naruto moaned, his true thoughts betraying him.

Sasuke tugged at one of the buttons at the front of Naruto's pajamas. Why did he have to be so stubborn? How did the man even have the willpower not to throw the damned garment out the window? He knew, as Naruto grew more sensitive, the friction of the fabric would chafe. A blow job through clothing just seemed like more of a tease than anything.

"I want to get you off, Naruto."

Sasuke peered up at Naruto, the words soaked with sex and sin as they fell from his mouth. This was the stuff that made up Naruto's wet dreams. How could he say no to a voice like that?

"Let me unbutton you. I'll reach inside, and I won't look. Just touch."

God, that sounded amazing. But there was a reason Naruto had kept his pants on to begin with. Was this a suitable middle ground? His eyes darted with uncertainty, and Sasuke gazed back up at him. He didn't smirk, smile, or demand... His generally cold onyx orbs seemed uncharacteristically gentle and patient.

"Okay," Naruto answered nervously.

Finally. Still, it was endearing to Sasuke how slowly Naruto was proceeding. This was the same person who shamelessly stood in front of him stark naked the first night he spent at his house. Naruto was loud, extroverted, and oftentimes pushy. He was learning new sides to Naruto as the weeks passed. Seeing him like this told Sasuke that Naruto had placed himself in a vulnerable position. He'd clearly invested a lot of feeling into this. Thus, Sasuke decided that he would be careful not to hurt him.

The Uchiha licked each of his four fingers consecutively, his eyes catching Naruto's as he did so. Sasuke knew what he would do. He knew what he liked when he did this to himself, and he knew that this wasn't much different. It didn't take long for Sasuke to undo Naruto's two buttons, sliding his hand in the gap. Naruto's shoulders trembled. To distract the blond, Sasuke rested Naruto's chin in his hand and lifted it up to face him. He cast a mild smile at him before gently wrapping his fingers around the base of Naruto's sex.

He kissed Naruto gently, petting his cheeks and hair with his free hand as his tongue lashed against Naruto's. Naruto sufficiently distracted, he began to pump at Naruto's sex, causing the other to moan into the kiss heavily. Their movement because more feverish, uninhibited. The precum lubricated his movements, a light schlicking sounding between them. Naruto's lower lip folded away, yielding as Sasuke pressed their mouths closer together. The feeling of skin on skin entranced them, their chests bouncing together, occasionally colliding.

Obviously, he'd never jerked off another guy before. Really, how different could it be? It was essentially the same motion he'd mastered since the age of eleven. He slid his hand up Naruto's cock to the base, gave it a slight squeeze, twisted his wrist, and slid down. His other hand was helpless, the entrance in the front of Naruto's pants only large enough for one hand. So he used his left hand to stroke, ghost, and pinch wherever he pleased. A quick twerk to Naruto's nipple caused the tan back to arch, pushing Naruto's cock farther into Sasuke's hand.

He spread his fingers and used his left palm to tap the head of Naruto's dick through his pants as his right hand would near the tip. He felt Naruto's body tremble beneath him, his chest moving quickly inwards and outwards with frenzied panting. Even before Sasuke had established direct contact, precum had already escaped the older boy. Naruto blushed darkly with humiliation. How much longer could he last? God, he felt like a preteen again. This was ridiculous, but shit, with each pump coming faster and faster, and the mere _sight_ of Sasuke's hands at work, an obsidian stare penetrating all pretenses…

This was all it took for Naruto. Simply the sight of Sasuke, the teasing of his hand and tongue against fabric, his mouth's passionate advances... They had readied him to the point of discomfort, his balls almost painfully tight. It thus didn't matter that Sasuke had such a narrow opening to operate in. Naruto could not remember the last time he had been so aroused, blissed, and emotionally involved. It made him wonder just what Sasuke could do if allowed free reign.

Naruto's lips parted from the others, his hot breath misting the lower half of Sasuke's face.

"Sasuke... I'm so close. Fuck, just don't stop."

Already? Naruto must have been deeply aroused to have gotten to this point so quickly. Naruto was certainly the louder of the two. Not even bothering to refrain his moans and whimpers. His hands searched everywhere on Sasuke's body, resting nowhere for too long and grasping nothing. Naruto looked amazing when he did this. It made Sasuke feel lustful and powerful, reveling in the control that Naruto had lost. It half occurred to Sasuke to slack off, to make him _beg_. How sweet would those words be, coming from his stubborn lover? But perhaps another time. Not the first.

"God, Naru... I want to feel you, just let go."

Naruto's toes curled, and he clutched Sasuke's hair so tightly it was painful.

"Sasuke… Fuck… Sasuke, I'm cumming."

Naruto's moan was loud and stretched out proudly, obscured shots of white soiling his pajama pants. Sasuke gave Naruto's member one last parting stroke, even that gentle contact causing Naruto to twitch. All of his concern had idled, replaced by the blissful warmth of his orgasm. The only thoughts that occupied his mind were those of Sasuke. Sasuke's fingers tugging at his waistband, Sasuke's stare when he jerked Naruto off, and perhaps best of all, the look on the Uchiha's face when he had finally orgasmed in Naruto's mouth, his taste and his scent.

Sasuke's hand was covered in cum, and he couldn't help but stare, if only for a second. It was an odd thought, that this was not his own. This did not go unnoticed by Naruto, who stared back at Sasuke nervously. Was Sasuke disgusted? This was exactly what he had feared, and even with all the pleasure he was experiencing, he couldn't help but look somewhat dejected.

Sasuke read into this within a split second, smirking at Naruto as he brought his pointer finger to his mouth and sucked at the tip. He swallowed Naruto's spunk as he briefly mimicked those same motions Naruto had made when he had brought Sasuke to orgasm. If it were even possible, Naruto would've been hard all over again. He wanted no doubts in Naruto's mind; he was perfectly comfortable with what they had done.

Finally realizing how much stamina this had taken out of him, Naruto abruptly collapsed to the ground in a pile. Sasuke snickered at Naruto's sudden change of energy, finding it rather endearing if anything. Sasuke sat upright, crossing his legs into a sitting position and allowing Naruto's head to rest on his ankles. Sasuke was still mentally adjusting to what had happened. He kept catching himself in a smile.

"S'uke, that was amazing."

Sasuke loved the way his name sounded when Naruto pronounced it like that. He'd never had anyone call him that before. The Uchiha only smirked in return, stroking Naruto's hair as the post-orgasmic buzz faded from Naruto's system.

"Life is strange, isn't it?"

Sasuke had heard that one before. It was one of those things people said when they wanted to reflect over the course of their lives and draw some sort of meaning out of it. Evidently, Naruto was in a contemplative frame of mood, even already.

"Mn. What's brewing in that scatterbrain of yours?"

Naruto smiled.

"I would've never expected going to a soup kitchen would lead to this. I'd been going there months before you started working. I was a regular, so a lot of the people there would recognize me and be happy to see me. That was almost better than the food."

Naruto chuckled, almost nervously, as Sasuke gazed down and pet him, running his hands through his shaggy hair.

"I liked you from the very start, even though you were so rude to me. I always knew there was so much more to you than what you seemed. That's why I liked to watch you when you worked."

"Just like I always knew you were a stalker from the very start," Sasuke teased.

"Shut up..."

The blond flustered looking towards the kitchen wall. Sasuke chuckled again, apparently a little more light-hearted with all the endorphins still coursing through his bloodstream.

"You didn't want to talk to anyone. But once or twice, your eyes would lull, your brows would furrow, and it seemed like you were a little fitful, deep down. I couldn't get much off of you. You were a mystery, but I knew in my gut that whatever was down there was good. As a people watcher, you were my greatest challenge, so I was very interested in you."

The corner of Sasuke's lips upturned. Perhaps Naruto's initial persistence hadn't been so simple-minded after all. He hoped that not everyone read him like that - that Naruto was just special. Naruto _was_ special, for better or for worse.

"I thought that all I'd ever be was an annoyance or a guilt trip to you. When you bought me ice cream, I couldn't stop smiling about it. Then you said you were my brother to that cop, even though I looked like shit. I was still smiling that night when I went to sleep, even though I got rained on. I thought I was finally making a friend, but it looks like it's even better than that. Now I'm...so happy."

Sasuke glanced down at Naruto. He had previously thought he had noticed Naruto's face looking slightly fuller. It wasn't much of a surprise, really, considering the formidable volume of food Naruto ate on a regular basis. With his shirt off, the changes were still minute but much more distinct. He looked healthier, and his cheeks had taken on a rosy shade. Naruto's smile reached back, his eyes squinted almost shut. He was beaming. For months now, Naruto reminded him of honey, dribbled out in the sunlight as it shown bright, translucent, and warm. He would've had to say that if expressions could have a color, this was the color of honey in the sunlight.

Whatever Naruto was experiencing was contagious. Lips closed, Sasuke was smiling broadly. Was this what it was like to fall for someone? He felt so different - happy, free, nervous, exhilarated, safe, and unburdened. It was like he was high, like he'd shaken all of his demons if only for a moment. Sasuke guided Naruto's arm upwards, holding his hand in his palm. He kneaded his thumb against the meat of his palm, then playing with each of his fingers, one by one. This would be his response.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you push everyone away?"

Sasuke frowned, wondering where that had come from. Even he didn't truly know the answer to that question.

"I find most people to be boring, untrustworthy, and stupid. I have no time for them."

Naruto grinned, playfully swatting at Sasuke's hand.

"But you gave me a chance and saw the error in your ways."

Sasuke cocked his head.

"You're not boring or untrustworthy. Stupid, however..."

Naruto laughed, lightly jabbing Sasuke in the thigh repeatedly.

"Take that back, bastard!"

"Make me."

Naruto grasped Sasuke's hand and bit it, gnawing spunkily. Sasuke jerked his hand away and shook it out.

"Thanks, Jaws."

"Sasuke..."

Naruto's voice had turned serious as their conversation lulled.

"Maybe if you gave people more of a chance, you wouldn't be so lonely."

The Uchiha frowned, wishing that Naruto had not so clearly noticed this. He didn't want people to know, let alone bring attention to it. He felt as if he'd been stripped down and placed in front of a two-way mirror. Would he deny it? Black met blue.

"Maybe. But even if you let in good people, it's very easy to lose them. That...really sucks."

Naruto nodded, rubbing his calloused palm over Sasuke's forearm lovingly. To Sasuke, he must have been one of those "good people."

"Naruto, if you have a choice in the matter... Please don't leave me."

Sasuke's voice seemed so quiet and fragile suddenly. Sasuke's head hung, facing the opposite wall. From Naruto's view, his eyes and mouth were concealed by his bangs. It shocked Naruto; he had never seen Sasuke this way before. He'd never heard him ask for anything, never heard even the slightest hint of desperation or vulnerability in his voice. Spastically, Naruto sat up, setting his own face just inches in front of Sasuke's. Those dark eyes looked so sad.

"Oh ho ho, you just _had_ to say the word."

Sasuke perked up slightly, confounded by Naruto's sudden change of pace.

"Now look what you've done!"

Naruto threw his hand up dramatically in mock anger.

"You'll _never_ be able to get rid of me now."

Sasuke stared back at Naruto dully, the next expression on his lips a hybrid between and smirk and a smile. Then a low chuckle rolled out of his mouth, and it grew. Naruto started laughing with him. They fed off of each other. What were they even laughing about? Did it matter?

"Fine by me."

* * *

Big chapter this week, huh? Tell me what you think! Too smutty? Bring on the smut? How do you feel about their relationship going to this level?

Either this chapter or the next is going to be a big one. It will satisfy a lot of curiousity regarding one of the main characters, but I still haven't decided if I should hold out...


	19. Chapter 17

As Sasuke rummaged through their refrigerator, Naruto sat at the kitchen table perusing Sasuke's anatomy textbook. It was a Sunday morning, and as usual, Itachi wasn't expected home until nightfall, if at all. A pale nose wrinkled in disgust as the sophomore encountered a jar of creamed herring, a couple weeks past expiration. As if the food weren't insufferable enough in its prime. He moved over the trashcan, stepping on the lever and swinging up the lid.

Naruto snapped, interjecting, "Hey, what is it my eyes are seeing right now? Are you throwing away perfectly good food? Because that would be positively, absolutely messed up."

Sasuke shook his head.

"You don't want this. It's expired. Nothing good or perfect about it."

Naruto snickered, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"…Sasuke, I've eaten week-old food out of dumpsters. I picked around the mold. I can handle anything."

The Uchiha shook his head, sliding the jar over to Naruto.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

The other male stuck his tongue out, taking an extra large, juicy bite of fish just to spite his lover. See, he could handle anything.

This was followed by several unflattering coughs, then a few choking noises. Naruto grasped the edges of the table, his knuckles white. He quickly spit the mushed up fish onto his napkin. Sexy.

"Jesus! What the hell is this stuff? I...I think I'm gonna be sick."

Naruto began to gag, doubling over the table. Sasuke only smirked in return, unsympathetic to the blond's turmoil.

"That's what you get."

Naruto shook his head emphatically, his wily locks bouncing as he did so.

"Nooo, no... Why would anyone ever make such a horrible thing? Ever? Why does this monstrosity even exist?"

"Don't ask me."

Naruto whined, "Sasukeeee..."

"Mn?"

"I'm feelin' a little lonely all of the sudden, why don't you give me a nice, juicy kiss?"

Naruto grabbed Sasuke by his shirt, making loud puckering noises as he pursed his lips for the pursuit. Sasuke flattened his palm into Naruto's forehead, pushing him away and recoiling at the scent of Naruto's breath.

"Like hell I'm kissing you with your nasty herring breath."

"Do not deny the smoldering fire in your pants. How could you resist a face as sexy as mine?"

Naruto stood up, lunging after the raven, who took a few quick steps away.

"No way in hell."

Naruto waggled his brows.

"You mouth says no, but your eyes say yes."

"Get away from me!"

The blond charged up to Sasuke as he was pressed against a wall, roughly lifting his head up and Frenching him. In another situation, this could have actually aroused Sasuke, but it rather nauseated him.

"Ugh! That's fucking rank."

Sasuke coughed, wishing he had somewhere to spit. Naruto laughed, but Sasuke smirked evilly.

"You're dead now."

Naruto's eyes squinted in uncertainty as the Uchiha pushed Naruto back and lunged towards him. Naruto turned on his heel quickly and scurried up the steps, laughing the entire way. Sasuke followed close behind. Naruto slammed the bedroom door open, making a long dive for the bed.

"Sanctuary! Sanctuary!"

"Don't think so."

Sasuke lunged onto the bed, throwing his weight at the blond, who merely rolled his body over and pinned Sasuke down. However, this was only to last for a second, as Sasuke swung Naruto away with a strong arm. Naruto giggled as he kicked his legs playfully.

Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he'd engaged in this sort of horseplay. The two rested on their knees, each fighting to topple the other. Sasuke held back, careful not to injure the other, which ended up being a mistake as Naruto nearly flipped him. Impatience got the best of Sasuke as he slammed Naruto backward, fastening his shoulders into the mattress.

Naruto's laughter halted, and he tried to sit up, only for Sasuke to shove him down again. Sasuke had clearly won, the blond unable to budge. The raven had originally thought that Naruto was being a sore loser. However, Naruto's nails dug into Sasuke's arm painfully, his legs thrashing up. They nearly hit a particularly sensitive spot between Sasuke's legs, which Sasuke was more than relieved that they had missed.

"Get off!" Naruto's tone was urgent.

The Uchiha's movements froze, his mind too distracted by Naruto's sudden panic to react quickly. Where the hell had this come from?

"GET THE FUCK OFF!"

Naruto shielded his face with his palms.

"Stop! Don't!"

Sasuke quickly rolled off of Naruto's body as the blond curled into a fetal position, facing away. He hid behind his hands, his breathing becoming quick and shallow. Bewildered, Sasuke's jaw hung slightly, and all he could think to do was stare. What was going on here? When he reached out to place his hand on Naruto's shoulder, the blond jerked away. Sasuke tried not to feel guilty about triggering this.

This seemed to come out of nowhere, but when Sasuke pondered it, he remembered noting that Naruto startled easily. He would jump when he'd suddenly sense Sasuke behind him. He frequently covered his face in his sleep, and Sasuke wasn't the only one who slept restlessly. He'd originally thought that this was Naruto being a "scaredy cat," but was that really all there was to it?

Naruto's breathing quickened, the blond whimpering as he hyperventilated. He began to claw at his forearms, leaving a criss-cross of angry red marks behind. Sasuke knew what this was. He knew that sometimes, when he was like this, he secretly wanted someone to hold him. However, most of the time, others touching him made him feel like either exploding or disappearing under the floorboards. So Sasuke simply lay down next to him, still present but giving the boy his space. It was so tempting to wrap his arms around him.

"Naruto, focus on my voice," Sasuke spoke calmly and quietly, but firmly.

Naruto seemed to ignore Sasuke at first... Or perhaps he was simply too panicked to notice him.

"It..." Naruto stammered, "It _hurts_. My heart... 'S... Been happening..."

One hand still hiding his cheeks, the other clenched at his chest. The blond's breathing was quickly accelerating. What could have caused this? Had Sasuke reminded him of something?

"You're having a panic attack. It won't last more than a few minutes. You'll be fine," Sasuke assured.

Naruto nodded with relief, feeling dizzy as his breath got carried away with him. Since these attacks had begun, he had wondered whether there was something physically wrong with him. A heart condition, perhaps? Or maybe he was just crazy. But what he could do about that in his situation? The thought of it being psychological was simultaneously reassuring and humiliating. The periphery of his vision was beginning to blacken. He felt like he was about to pass out, and his hands grew numb and tingly.

Sasuke knew how to deal with these. The first few months after his parents had died, they'd come frequently. Fortunately, he had yet to endure such an embarrassing moment in front of any of his classmates or friends. His brother, however... He had always been so patient and helpful. So Sasuke would do his best to imitate him.

"Breathe with me, slowly. Inhale."

It was difficult for Naruto to do this, but he made his best attempt. His chest felt so tight, like the incoming air had nowhere to go.

"Hold, now exhale."

Sasuke was patient, remembering exactly how his brother's voice sounded, how it had been the only thing that had grounded him to the physical world. Hopefully it would help Naruto just as it had helped him. They ran through this several more times, and Naruto's vision was beginning to return to him as his body was oxygenated. His muscles were still clenched tight, however.

"Nothing's going to hurt you while I'm here. You're safe."

The compassion in Sasuke's words jerked Naruto out of his thoughts, the blond turning to face the other. He had never heard such kindness in Sasuke's voice. Naruto was humiliated to notice his blurred vision and wet cheeks, the teardrops changing course over the thick indentation of his scars. He stared directly into Sasuke's concerned eyes, suddenly feeling every bit as safe as Sasuke said he was. It took a few minutes for his body to follow suit, however.

"I've had these before. I didn't know what it was…" Naruto trailed off. "I just thought I was crazy."

As Sasuke attempted to slowly pet Naruto's forehead, his lover nudged his face closely into him.

"Then you wouldn't be the only one. I get them too," Sasuke frowned as he admitted this. Besides Itachi, no one knew. Sasuke almost regretted his words after they were spoken.

"Really?"

It certainly wasn't that Naruto didn't believe him. It was just very difficult to imagine someone as composed as Sasuke in this sort of distress. Still, the fact that even someone like Sasuke had them… It made Naruto feel a little better.

"Mhm."

Readjusting himself, Naruto lay between Sasuke's arm and his torso. He felt Sasuke's toned muscles distinctly as the raven draped his arm over Naruto, the strength they implied making him feel protected. Naruto wiped away the tears on his cheeks.

"I suppose...I have some explaining to do," Naruto conceded with a hint of nervous laughter.

Sasuke pulled Naruto closer into him, leisurely stroking his back.

"No more than you'd like to."

He decided that Naruto could tell him his story if and when he pleased. He would respect his privacy and not push him into sharing things he wasn't ready to share. He wondered why everyone didn't think this way.

"It's okay... I don't think I'd have the guts to bring it up again."

But did Naruto ever want to bring it up again? Did Sasuke ever need to know? Sasuke nodded slowly. Even Sasuke didn't know if he was ready to hear what he was about to hear, but he did his best to hide that.

"Tell me what happened, Naruto."

"I want to tell you, but I'm afraid… I haven't told anyone about this before, ever. I'm not a bad person, you know? I'm really not."

He couldn't be like Sasuke… He hadn't had the opportunity yet to grow truly and deeply close to someone. It appeared that when this did occur, the secrets he'd kept from the world so easily started hammering at the surface. He happened to know more about Sasuke than Sasuke knew about him, but this was only because Sasuke's secrets had been revealed against his will. How was Sasuke able to keep so much from so many people? Sasuke tilted his head, perplexed.

"Of course you aren't. If anyone, that would be me."

Why would Naruto say such a thing? Wasn't he the one who was becoming Sasuke's moral compass?

"No, you don't get it yet. You'll think less of me."

"Listen, Naruto… I have no right to judge you or whatever you've done in your past."

Naruto's chest tightened all over again, and he wondered if he should have waited for his body to calm down a little more before delving into something so sensitive. These assurances… Sasuke only spoke them because he didn't know the truth. How would he _really_ react?

"It's about..." Naruto sighed, "my face."

For Naruto, these first words were the most difficult. He fumbled with whatever fabric he could find, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat. He was so afraid to speak the words he had now committed himself to speaking.

"Ah..."

Sasuke's palms sweat. This seemed to be the elephant in the room, as far as Naruto was concerned. From the first time he saw the blond, it was something he had been curious about. The scars were obvious, and unless Naruto decided to wear a ski mask, it was nothing he could ever hide. He imagined that he'd frequently gotten questions from children and the nosey and tactless.

"I guess I'll tell you from the start, cuz it's a long story. When I was almost thirteen, the family I'd been staying with for a while had to give me up because of money problems. So I was placed with a man up by Bakersfield. He'd just lost his wife last year, so I think he was looking for another reason to live. He…. He was a very lonely and sad man - lonelier than I was, which says a lot. He missed his wife. I would hear him cry during the night from my bedroom. He didn't have many friends, and his wife had been infertile, so they had no kids. He was really all alone, just like me."

Naruto clenched his teeth before continuing.

"He was very nice to me though. He bought me all sorts of things and told me that I was the only person in the whole world he loved. Do you know how it feels to hear that, when you always felt like an intruder in peoples' homes? I felt like we understood each other. We were there for each other. But things got weird…"

In truth, Sasuke had no idea how Naruto must have felt. He had always felt welcome in his own home, with or without his parents. Since birth, he knew that he was loved, irreplaceable. Naruto had never had that assurance.

"Weird? What do you mean?"

Naruto glanced back up at Sasuke nervously. For an instant, he reconsidered telling Sasuke at all. If he left the subject matter be, he believed that Sasuke would've been just fine with leaving it rest. Sasuke was just that sort of guy. But what would Sasuke think of him if he didn't stop?

"One night… Late at night, he kissed me. Not…like on the cheek, actually on the lips."

Sasuke tried to avoid looking angry, but he did a poor job of it.

"Don't be mad at him. It wasn't molestation. He explained to me that when he did it, he could close his eyes and pretend like his wife was still alive. There wasn't anything sexual about it, at least I don't think. It was more emotional. I was helping him pretend. But… I let him do it. More than once."

Sasuke had expected to be shocked. He had expected to hear some things about Naruto that were difficult to stomach, but not this.

"You must think I'm a freak," Naruto muttered with a frown.

His heart was beating far too quickly. He wished he could analyze Sasuke's face closely for his true reaction, but he was too scared to look at him. Why would someone like Sasuke ever want to date someone with these sorts of issues? He'd been such an idiot to tell the truth.

"No. And I don't care what you say about this guy. I wish I could break his jaw."

So Sasuke was blaming his parent, and not him? It wasn't fair. It was _his_ fault. He'd _agreed_ to it. Still, it was better than Sasuke being disgusted by him or something of the like.

"Sasuke, that's not how it was. I…I didn't like it, but I didn't mind it. I didn't really care. He only kissed me on the lips. He didn't ever touch any other part of me or try to push me into more. He never forced me, and he told me that he didn't love me romantically. He didn't make any noises or grope or whatever... He'd just kiss me, close his eyes…and smile afterward. He'd thank me for helping him."

"He's an adult, and you were a child. It doesn't matter if you consented or not. He should've never put you in that situation."

Naruto's voice cracked as he spoke now, forcing back tears. "I _initiated_ it, Sasuke! Only a few times, but I did! He would stop crying, and he'd tell me that I was the only thing that made him want to live. It wasn't only for him! It wasn't the actual action for me; it was how much it meant to him. Dammit… I actually felt _loved_ for once!" towards the end, Naruto's voice raised to a shout, this face slightly reddened.

For just a moment, Sasuke was rendered speechless. He would have never known, not in a lifetime. Naruto, _his_ Naruto… He had been so desperate for affection that he had resorted to this. It was something Sasuke, who had garnered love and admiration throughout his lifetime so naturally, could never understand.

"Please… _Please_ say something," Naruto sobbed, tears finally streaming down his cheeks. "Do you think I'm a freak?"

That word again, "freak." He wondered if these were the things Naruto told himself at night. Sasuke immediately felt a flash of heat in his gut as guilt consumed him. What was he doing, spacing out like that? This was about Naruto, not him.

"You're not a freak, Naruto. You were mistreated."

"I wasn't mistreated, not then. That came later."

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. To Naruto, this wasn't even abuse. How could he be so easy on this guy? He was in denial; there was no two ways about it. And how much worse had things really gotten?

"I knew it was unhealthy, even at that age. I just didn't care, because it made both of us happy, just in different ways. We didn't love each other like _that_, so it seemed okay. But as I got older, I started _really_ understanding how fucked up the whole thing was. I even got a boyfriend I met at school, and I liked him… I was fourteen then. We didn't date for very long or get extremely attached, but he was fun to hang out with… Heh, and actually pretty hot. But if you count those kisses, I was cheating on him…with my foster parent. Isn't that the most fucked up thing you've ever heard?"

"I don't think it's that simple, Naruto. I don't blame you for it."

Sasuke stroked Naruto's hair and held his hand, realizing that this might be the most difficult secret he'd ever revealed in his life. Naruto continued, knowing that if he stopped, he might be unable to continue.

"Over the next year or so, he sort of…started to slip. He told me that his boss was trying to poison him, and just…a bunch of really bizarre I'm-about-to-lose-my-marbles sort of stuff. He'd drink at night, and I dropped a plate… He jerked me around by the hand and dislocated my wrist. I should've known right then that I needed to get out. But the look on his face when he realized he hurt me… He looked so horrified and guilty when he saw my wrist. He started talking to himself through the night, yelling and screaming at someone who wasn't really there… It was kind of like a dam that I knew _had_ to burst. He just kept getting worse and worse, but I felt like I couldn't leave him. Who else would be there for him?"

Naruto seemed to shrink into Sasuke's arms now, his words becoming clumsier.

"Even still, I knew we couldn't keep living like this. I saw the situation for what it really was. Plus I had a boyfriend at the time, and _of course_ he had no clue what was going on. At first, I felt unfaithful and even a little scared just holding his hand because of what was going on at home, but was helping me cope without even knowing. I couldn't stomach the dishonesty. The night I ended up running away, I told my dad that I still loved him, but I couldn't kiss him or pretend anymore. I made it clear I wouldn't ever do it again."

"Brave," Sasuke said gruffly. He honestly didn't consider that cheating, and regardless… This wasn't Naruto's fault. It was that asshole of a foster parent… He couldn't think about that. Again, he had to remind himself that this was about Naruto, not his own emotions. Naruto needed to be listened to, to be reassured.

"I was just weeks from fifteen at the point, so you'd think I would've been smart enough to say something sooner. I expected him to be upset. To cry or maybe even yell. But he just looked at me like he'd been slapped or something and walked out of the room, just like that. I knew he had to react at some point, especially given how he'd been acting lately, so it made me nervous. I was definitely expecting something bad, but still… I never would've guessed he was capable of..."

Naruto was flushing deeply now, his voice cracking as words failed him, struggling to continue. Sasuke wished he could do something to relieve him, his own heart beating uncomfortably in suspense. The raven grabbed Naruto's hand in his own, calmingly circling the palm with his thumb. Naruto grabbed onto it tightly, and his eyes watered.

"He came into my room while I was asleep and tried to force me. He started talking to me like I was his wife, but he was so drunk I could hardly even understand him. He reeked of alcohol, which I hate. At that point, I'd had enough. I punched him in the face, ended up giving him a bloody nose, and called him a psycho."

Naruto looked down and then back up at Sasuke, seemingly requesting assurance.

"I know it was mean, but I was just so sick of dealing with his issues and wanted to get some sleep. After I did it, I even felt a little bad for him."

Did Naruto seriously feel guilty for decking this guy? He really was far too nice. It went beyond Sasuke's comprehension.

"I'd say it was quite deserved, actually," Sasuke smirked. "Nice one."

"It was actually pretty stupid, as it turned out," Naruto laughed nervously.

"Why? What happened?"

The blond's body began to tremble. Sasuke was tempted to ask him to stop, to tell him that he didn't need to know. He hated watching Naruto suffer like this, but all the same, this was something Naruto had wanted to tell him. Sasuke's own heart was beginning to quicken, and he wondered if Naruto could feel it against his clothed flesh. Naruto's words grew pressured as his enunciation deteriorated. It seemed that he wanted to get these words out as quickly as possible, before he lost the nerve to continue.

"There was this flip-knife he always kept in his pocket, for protection he said. He took it out, held me down... He was sobbing, yelling… Could've fought harder than I did. I was afraid he'd kill me if I made him angrier. So I just begged him not to hurt me. God, I was so stupid. I just...wasn't thinking..."

Naruto was gripping Sasuke's fingers hard now, to the point that they were beginning to tingle. Every muscle in Naruto's body seemed to be tense as he fought not to sob, tears noiselessly streaming down his cheeks.

"So he took it to my face, and...yeah... This."

He pointed to his cheeks, his finger quaking. His chest seemed to jolt as he held back a sob, his eyes wet and slowly trailing tears. Sasuke swallowed, hearing his own breathing echo in his head. The scars on his cheeks… So this is why Naruto ran away, why he became homeless, why he turned down shelters and foster care so adamantly… What could he say to this? He felt like it was his fault when Naruto began to sob. If only he could've said something...

Sasuke rolled over on his side, now facing the blond, who had buried his face in the sheet. Sasuke had never been good with this sort of thing, but he decided immediately that he wouldn't give Naruto _that_ look. Sasuke had come to despise it so thoroughly. Whenever he was forced to tell anyone about what happened to his parents, they would simply stare at him, wide-eyed and full of pity. The seconds would stretch on as their eyes stubbornly clung to his face.

He combed his fingers gently through Naruto's hair.

"Let it out. I'm here now."

He rested his hand on the side of Naruto's head, tracing his thumb around the curves of his ear. Sasuke was still in a state of shock. He couldn't believe Naruto had hidden this from the world, but still, it made him feel special to be the only one to hear it. In another sense, he wished he'd never known. What he had heard appalled Sasuke in every sense of the word. He felt so enraged, so upset that something this unfair could happen to Naruto. He wondered what he wouldn't give to go back in time and save Naruto from everything he was to experience. Leaning forward to Naruto's only exposed cheek, he kissed each of the three scars slowly. He felt the indents of each wound against his sensitive lips with each peck. Kissing them better, he mused. Naruto's cries silenced.

"You... You shouldn't touch me there."

Naruto rotated his head slightly, so that one tear-reddened eye faced the raven.

"Why not?"

The blond gave a shaky sigh and a sad smile.

"They're there to remind me to be ashamed."

"Naruto… I know that no one has told you this yet, since you haven't told anyone, but it wasn't your fault. You were used and mistreated, and blaming yourself for it will only make you weak in the longrun. Don't let that son of a bitch take anything more from you than he already has."

Naruto's tears were slowing, and for the first time since they had gotten on this subject, his tone sounded hopeful.

"You…really think it wasn't my fault?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Of course not, Naru."

"You don't think I have issues?"

Sasuke sighed.

"Naruto, after that, anyone would. We both have issues, but you rebounded. Fuck, I don't know… Maybe I should learn something from you."

Sasuke mumbled his final sentence. His pale skin flushed the lightest shade of pink, quite uncomfortable with admitting such a thing even under the circumstances. Naruto smiled, and this time it was real.

"You know…," Naruto noted with a sigh, "Every time I look in the mirror, these ugly things remind me of how messed up and stupid I was." He pointed to his cheek. "It's like I can't forget."

Naruto bit his thumb as his eyes fell into the sheets. Sasuke shook his head, stroking his thumb against the marred flesh.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I like them. When you smile, all stupid like you usually do, even with those scars on your face… I think you look really strong. You survived, so don't be ashamed."

Naruto went still. He couldn't believe Sasuke, of all people, would say something like this. He wouldn't have guessed that someone as distant as Sasuke had it in him, and this made his words all the more meaningful. He supposed, when he got to know the guy... He could be very kind. The tenseness and pain in his chest was transforming into something much lighter. Naruto's eyes began to well up again. Not one to disappoint, Naruto grinned, reaching all the way back to his molars as a tear escaped his eye.

Sasuke cast Naruto a half-smile in return. He was awed at how Naruto always wanted to give people a second chance, even though doing so had almost gotten him killed. After everything Naruto had endured, that smile seemed to penetrate Sasuke in a way that he could not express. Sasuke could not bring himself to agree with Naruto's world view. He could also not help but regard Naruto with a sense of admiration, respect, and perhaps even love.

"Your breath still stinks," Sasuke murmured, their faces still pressed close together.

"So does yours," the blond chuckled lightly, his grin never wavering.

* * *

Well, here's that "big chapter" I referenced. Please tell me what you think. I was a little hesitant to write a backstory for Naruto like this, but I thought it added a lot of depth to his character.

See you next week!


	20. Chapter 18

The gods of Tuesday had bestowed their mercy upon Sasuke. A robotic male voice announced the cancellation of school today. One of the main water pipes had completely fritzed out at Sasuke's school Monday afternoon. Naruto cheered when the automated message sounded over the answering machine.

The nights between their eventful Saturday and Monday had been pleasant for both boys. When one or the other did not fall asleep quickly, it was only because they wished to study the other's breathing or glance at their expressions in sleep. They slept more soundly than they usually did, and they no longer felt a need to readjust themselves when their bodies met at night.

Usually, Naruto would fall asleep with his head on Sasuke's chest, Sasuke's arm resting over him protectively. Of course, Naruto was prone to some rather awkward positions as the night hours carried on, all sorts of limbs hanging off the bedside as they were unbound by their typical sleeping bag. When it was time for Sasuke to get ready for school on Monday, Naruto woke him up with a smile and a peck on the lips. This was certainly better than any alarm clock.

School on Monday had been particularly boring, even by Sasuke's standards. He spent all of lunch hour in the library, working ahead on his schoolwork as his friends ate and chattered together. As frustrated as he was with Kabuto, and even the other three, it felt rather solitary to Sasuke. Still, he supposed it was something he could acclimatize to.

Juugo left the others to find Sasuke with his nose pressed into his pre-calculus book. He asked Sasuke to join them, but Sasuke politely refused. He told Sasuke that all three of them had been fine after the party, and that he was merely overreacting. Sasuke was sure that Juugo missed his presence, since Sasuke was the only one in their group whom Juugo had truly connected to. When Sasuke remained stubborn, Juugo left him, visibly frustrated. It had not been a pleasant experience for Sasuke, but he wasn't going to disappoint himself or Naruto.

Sunday evening, Sasuke had weaseled some rather handy information out of Naruto. It ended up that he had an indescribable and all-encompassing fear of ghosts. Accordingly, Sasuke had dared Naruto to watch an old ghost slasher movie with him at their next opportunity. Naruto vehemently refused... Of course until Sasuke phrased it as a dare, and called Naruto a pussy. _No one_ calls Uzumaki Naruto a pussy.

"Oh god oh god oh god. She shouldn't go in there... Why would she go in there?"

The two were sitting on Sasuke's bed, staring at his small television set. Sasuke jabbed Naruto's side, straining to hear the movie over his rambling.

"Are you going to shut up, or should I just turn on the subtitles?"

"Oh no... She's...she's gonna open that door."

Naruto lifted his hands to his mouth. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto clawed into his forearm, a loud bang sounding as an empty room was revealed. Naruto jolted, spilling popcorn into their laps.

"Fuck! I _hate_ it when they do that. False alarm. Just to get you on the edge of your...EEE! Oh SHIT."

A malignant specter appeared, beheading the unfortunate character. Naruto emitted a high-pitched squeal, suddenly jumping about a foot to the left into Sasuke's lap. Naruto watched the rest of the movie peeking through his fingers. The blond wasn't kidding when he said ghost movies scared him shitless.

Naruto cleaned up the popcorn he'd spilled, while Sasuke flicked off the television. It was getting a little late, just several minutes to midnight. But Sasuke didn't have school tomorrow, and Itachi wasn't coming home until Tuesday night. Why not take advantage of it? Maybe he'd challenge Naruto to a video game, cook them a meal, or just seduce the blond and do all sorts of exciting things to him.

Sasuke glanced over at the clock, noticing that midnight had hit.

"Happy Tuesday," he grunted unenthusiastically.

Suddenly, just seconds later, the air began to take on a strong chill. It seemed to get worse by the second.

"Shit..." Naruto shivered, sticking his arms underneath his shirt, "What happened to the temperature in here?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Maybe the thermostat's busted."

The blond laughed, a little nervously, "Isn't a weird coincidence this all happened at midnight?"

The air was growing still colder. Goosebumps prickled Sasuke's upper body, Naruto huddling into him for warmth.

"You're reading too much into it."

"But... Has this happened before? I mean, it's _really_ cold."

"No," Sasuke responded, "But does it really matter?"

Naruto silenced himself, his body tense as his eyes darted around the room.

"Besides, it's just the thermostat. It's not like the whole house is on the fritz."

It was horribly ironic that the lights began to flicker, a sickly glow illuminating the house before all fell to darkness.

"Sasuke... This... This is really weird. What's going on?"

Naruto was clinging to Sasuke's arm now, looking over his shoulders quickly, only to see darkness.

"Well, this is convenient. Pick up the phone. I'll look for the number for the power company."

Blond locks flung as Naruto shook his head.

"No, I think I wanna stay next to you."

Sasuke taunted, "Too scared?"

"Hell no!"

"Then pick up the phone."

Naruto grumbled, his groping hand finally stumbling upon the phone. Naruto picked it up...

"Sasuke... The line is dead."

Sasuke grunted, rummaging his bedstand for his cell phone.

"Great. It won't even turn on."

Naruto let out a faint whine, which he believed Sasuke would not hear. He did.

"This is...really weird. Why is all of this stuff happening at once?"

The raven shrugged, sitting next to Naruto.

"Stranger things have happened."

The older of the two tugged on Sasuke's sleeve tentatively.

"Sasuke... Has anything ever happened to make you think maybe your house is...haunted?"

The Uchiha snickered.

"Are you trying to say there's a ghost in here?"

Naruto stammered, "Uh... Ghost, maybe ghosts. I don't know! The phones, the power, _and_ the room temperature are freaking out on us within minutes of each other. Explain that!"

"Don't be an idiot," Sasuke chided. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

The smaller pointed at the other male frantically.

"Ah! Ah! See, you can't explain it!"

"I can't believe we're even having this conversation... What are you doing?"

Naruto had placed Sasuke in front of him, hiding behind his shoulders and head.

"I don't wanna look. What if something pops out at me?!"

"For fuck's sake..."

Loudly, from the bottom floor, static crackled in the air. Opera music played, glitching from some sort of interference from time to time. Naruto screamed, sounding a bit younger and more feminine that was flattering. Sasuke shook his head, smirking in amusement.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygoood... This is so, _so_ creepy."

Sasuke frowned, allowing Naruto to shrink behind him.

"I guess it is a _little_ creepy."

Naruto's jaw dropped. Even _Sasuke_ was admitting it!

"But there has to be an explanation," Sasuke reasoned.

The music continued to blare beneath them, echoing throughout the dark and frigid house.

"_Yes_, Sasuke. Ghosts! That's the explanation!"

Sasuke groaned, warming his biceps with his hands, "Fucking freezing in here..."

"See! See!"

"Are you even listening to yourself? This is ridiculous."

Naruto whimpered, "This is _scary_..."

"Listen, dumbass..."

Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder before continuing, "I'm going to go downstairs and figure things out. Then you'll feel like a total idiot for all of this, and I'll laugh at you."

Naruto's reflexes worked faster than a steel trap, his hand clamping down on Sasuke's forearm.

"Nooo, no, no. You can't leave me in this dark, creepyass room all alone."

The Uchiha snickered, "What would you do without me?"

"We are _not_ splitting up. That is like...the number one thing not to do in this situation!"

Naruto could not see Sasuke roll his eyes through the heavy black, but it was more than evident in his voice.

"This isn't some B-grade horror flick. This is real life, and I'm not freezing my ass off in the dark because you're scared of the boogeyman."

Sasuke yanked his arm out of Naruto's vice grip.

"Nooononononono..."

And with that, Sasuke was gone, leaving the door slightly ajar as his footsteps bounced down the hall.

Well, this was it. Naruto had lived a full life, all sixteen years of it. Still, it was a shame he was going to die tonight. But there were good times. He looked back and encountered a myriad of good memories, almost all of which involved food. Ah, yes, that macaroni had been out of this world. His hands fumbled as he backed himself into the wall, covering his backside so that he would be ready for any...unwelcome intruders.

With a wicked smirk on his face, Sasuke used his flashlight to sift through the downstairs coat closet. Perfect, there it is. Tonight hadn't been that difficult, really. He assumed that Naruto would know nothing of timed thermostats or power breakers. He knew how those lights flickered when finally extinguishing; even he thought they were a little eerie. And the radio alarm clock? Of course, he hadn't expected Naruto to notice that it had a battery reserve.

And Naruto bought it all, hook, line, and sinker. For a prank this elaborate, things had been going even more smoothly than he had hoped. And why? Why would he do this, to the wide-eyed, skittish blond? With those flirty texts, Naruto had dug his own grave. Sasuke had even warned him. The idiot knew he had it coming, sooner or later. But the short and sweet version? _No one_ pranks Uchiha Sasuke.

Pushing the hangers to the other side, Sasuke pulled out his brother's long trench coat in the very back. The coat draped over Sasuke's entire frame, the Uchiha popping the collar to obscure his face. He picked a fedora off the top shelf and carefully placed it on his head. If not properly concealed, his hairstyle would give him away in a heartbeat. He stood in front of the window, the street lights casting a faint lumination behind him.

He took a deep inhale. Sometimes Sasuke believed he had the emotional capacity of a watermelon. He would be a horrible actor he mused. The raven focused. What made him scared? Why did he have to be so damned fearless? Wait... Plant roots. Plant roots were creepy as hell.

"NARUTO!"

He made his best attempt at fear and desperation. That hadn't been so bad. Whatever the case, he must've been believable enough, as Naruto's clomped down the stairway so fast that it sounded like he'd rolled down a hill. He froze in his tracks as he saw the silhouette of a coated figure, standing tall and eerie behind the dimly lit window.

Sasuke did not believe that there were words in the English language to describe the shriek that projected out of Naruto's mouth. The closest he could come was to say that it sounded like some godawful mixture of a pterodactyl, an Indian, and a duck being asphyxiated.

Sasuke snickered, just about to laugh when Naruto closed the space between the two of them faster than a lightning bolt, all the while emitting his ungodly battle cry. No, this was...not supposed to happen. Naruto grabbed a flowerpot on the way, violently chucking it at Sasuke's head. Luckily, the Uchiha ducked, taking the collision on his left shoulder blade. Sasuke coughed.

"Fuck!"

Naruto continued to punch the mysterious figure, catching its back and arms as it protected its head.

"Where's Sasuke?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH SASUKE?!"

"Stop it! _I'm_ Sasuke!"

But Naruto could not hear him over his own hysteria. In the scuffle, the fedora flew off of Sasuke's head.

"Where is he, you bastard?!"

"It's _me_, you moron!" Sasuke shouted as loudly as he could muster.

His jaw dropped, staring at the coated figure and pointing frantically.

"Possessed!"

Sasuke groaned. He'd done too good of a job, perhaps.

"Would you fucking _listen_? Considered yourself paid back in full."

Naruto squinted his eyes suspiciously.

"Payback?"

"Yes," Sasuke sighed. "After all the shenanigans you caused with my cell phone, I told you I'd get you back."

A pause. What was Sasuke talking about?

"You!"

Naruto gave Sasuke one last emphatic point before his hands plummeted to his sides.

"You fucking...assdickshitfuckstick..._douche canoe_!"

Raven brows rose as Sasuke took a moment to appreciate the originality of this newly discovered expletive. Still catching his breath, Naruto erupted into laughter.

"You scared the shit outta me!"

"Yes, that was the idea."

"That..." Naruto panted. "Okay, I admit. That was good."

"Why would you attack some otherworldly intruder in a trenchcoat? You're supposed to run."

Naruto laughed, ruffling the hair at the back of his head.

"Sorry, man. Fight or flight. Sometimes adrenaline makes the choice for you."

So, perhaps not everything had gone to plan. The bruise on Sasuke's shoulder probably wouldn't disappear for at least a couple weeks. Still, remembering the impressive scream that Naruto gave at the night's climax, Sasuke knew that it had been worth it.

"Learn your lesson yet?"

Naruto chuckled.

"Oh, I learned my lesson alright."

Sasuke smirked triumphantly.

"That is...you look damned sexy in a trenchcoat."


	21. Chapter 19

"I'M. AN. American badass. Watch me kick. You can roll with rock, or you can SUCK MY..."

Upon hearing the garage door creak upwards, Sasuke muted his computer, Naruto's singing only carrying on a couple seconds afterward. These days, it wasn't uncommon for Sasuke's room to be filled with singing of sometimes questionable quality. When Sasuke was in a good mood, he turned a blind eye. When he was in a bad mood, Naruto took a pillow to the face.

"What the hell, Sasuke?! That was the best part!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Didn't you hear the garage? Or was it too difficult to hear over your wailing?"

"Aw!"

Naruto pouted. Itachi was home, which meant near silence for the rest of the night.

"Don't whine."

The raven pivoted his desk chair to face the bed, inclining Naruto's face and kissing him. Lips barely touching, their tongues quickly slicked over each other before they parted. Naruto was smiling, appeased by the gesture. Sasuke enjoyed this, being able to slip kisses to the other so casually. There wasn't always a need for sex - just an affectionate reassurance of what they meant to each other.

The door creaked open as Itachi entered, only to be slammed shut behind him. Distracted, Sasuke instinctively looked over his shoulder. Itachi was ordinarily such a gentle, polite sort of guy. This wasn't like him.

"Dude, what's up with your brother tonight?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe he just stumbled."

And taken the door with him? Possible. Not entirely convinced, Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Sasuke attempted to scroll through the e-mail, finding himself unable to concentrate.

"I'm hungry," Sasuke lied.

There was probably nothing amiss, but all the same, he figured that there was no harm in checking. How could he be sure that Itachi was okay?

"Want me to bring you anything back up?"

"Hmmm..." Naruto paused, staring towards the ceiling lackadaisically before returning his eyes to Sasuke. "A bag of Fritos, a taco, a carrot, a roll of duct tape, a tangerine, and a stapler. Oh! And an ice cream bar."

Sasuke knit his brows, staring at Naruto a moment before replying.

"I'm not even going to ask."

Sasuke descended the stairs, deciding to sneak Naruto's grocery list up to his room later, after Itachi had left the main room and kitchen area. Itachi was sitting in front of the closet, taking off his collared wool coat and setting his briefcase away.

"Hey Itachi"

"Hi."

Sasuke halted, his eyes drifting back to his brother. Itachi hadn't even looked back at Sasuke when he responded. He merely stared forward into the back of the closet, long after his business there was complete.

"You're being weird."

Itachi's face fell down, and his shoulders tensed before Itachi finally faced his brother, a rigid smile on his lips.

"I'm fine, Sasuke."

Sasuke would think that as bright as his brother was, he would have managed how to tell a decent lie by now. The man almost looked dizzy. Usually, when he tried to pull off a smile, he managed to be more convincing than this. Sasuke sighed, refusing to let Itachi off the hook.

"Stop spacing out and sit down. Come on."

Obediently, Itachi followed Sasuke into the kitchen in silence. No response? No protestations? This was strange behavior, to say the least. He wished his brother would just speak up and relieve him of his suspense. He sat next to him at the kitchen table.

"What's up with you?"

A trembling sigh issued from the elder brother.

"I got fired."

This was a tough blow, indubitably. But why would it garner such a strong reaction from his brother? Sure, it was shitty luck. But this was Itachi. Itachi, who seemed so untouchable to Sasuke even upon losing his parents and being burdened with...well, him.

"...I see."

What would this mean for them? They were already tight on money, and Itachi had taken out several loans to pay for their living expenses, Sasuke's psychiatric care, and Itachi's exorbitant tuition. Given the loans and Itachi's generous wages and fee remissions from his job, they would break even until Itachi's graduation in two years. Then, finally making the salary of a UCLA attorney, Itachi would be able to pay the loans back and support both himself and Sasuke. It would work out perfectly.

At least that was the plan. But Sasuke doubted that Itachi could borrow much more from the bank than he already had. Sure, things would be fine once Itachi graduated. He'd be bringing home some big money. But what would they do until then?

"It's not all bad. Your boss was a dick, so maybe you can find a better job."

Itachi shook his head.

"No... It's not the same. It's not just the wages. I'll lose the tuition reductions, _and_ our health insurance. This is all my fault."

Sasuke pat Itachi's shoulder a single time, his hand just slightly rough. Seeing Itachi falter like this... It unnerved him. Itachi was always so brave, the one who knew all the answers and had the big plan. But this was all the more reason for Sasuke to exude confidence.

"I know you, and I know you did everything you could. Don't worry about it. We'll be fine."

Itachi nodded. Sasuke could have sworn he saw his brother's black eyes glass over with tears, though his cheeks were dry. After their parents died last year, he had only seen Itachi cry twice. This situation was suspicious.

"Yeah... Right, we'll be fine."

The Uchiha respired, regarding Itachi with equal portions of impatience and concern. It was obvious that Itachi did not believe his own words.

"I get the feeling there's something I don't know about."

Itachi shook his head, his pony tail jostling along with him.

"It's nothing."

What was the use? This guy was tight-lipped as a clam. It wasn't uncommon for Itachi to push him away like this. "A parent should never burden their child with their adult woes and stresses." That was Itachi's mindset. But that wasn't them. Their parents were gone, and no one could fill their shoes - not even Itachi. Sasuke inhaled, doing his best to remain calm.

"Itachi, look... You're not my father. You're my brother. It's not your job to hide problems from me. We used to be a lot more open with each other, and I don't see why that has to change."

The elder glanced up from his lap, bewildered. Sasuke had hinted that he felt this way many times before, but he had yet to say it so directly.

"I ask because I _want_ to know. I can handle it, so don't get fussy about it."

The smile on Itachi's face was much milder, but it also seemed genuine.

"I suppose you had to find out eventually... I'm sorry to burden you with this, Sasuke."

He had to appear perfectly serene, even though he felt his heart flutter and his stomach freeze. What was Itachi talking about? His mind darted from scenario to scenario, each less pleasant than the last. Would he just get to the punch already? The way Itachi cautioned, the way he padded his words... Sasuke knew that whatever he was going to hear was not going to be good, to say the least.

"I'm going to get a little sick, but then I'm going to get better. The doctor told me that my chances of surviving the surgery at this stage are in the nineties, percent wise, so don't worry about me going anywhere, okay?"

Visibly torn, Sasuke heard his own breath rasping in and out of his chest. It was loud - too loud. The fact that Itachi had started giving him _survival_ statistics before even getting into the specifics unnerved him. Figuring a 95% probability, his brother, his last family member on the planet, had a one in twenty chance of _dying_. Sasuke's brain had done the math involuntarily, and he was plagued by the same figures that were supposed to reassure him. And what about the outcomes as bad or even worse than death?

Perhaps Sasuke was being pessimistic. After all, the likeliest scenario by far was that Itachi would live. But what was Itachi talking about? He hated how vague Itachi was being, as if he didn't know if Sasuke could take the truth. What did he mean by "sick"?

"What exactly is wrong with you?"

Itachi cleared his throat before continuing.

"I have...a growth on my stomach, which has attached itself to some other organs. It's not cancerous, but it's been growing more quickly over the past couple weeks. I need to have a surgery to remove it."

What? Was this really happening? No, not so soon after he had lost his parents. Life had never been so unpredictable in the past. Why was Itachi in jeopardy now?

"A growth? You mean like...a tumor?"

Itachi smiled at Sasuke reassuringly, which only made Sasuke feel guiltier for how shaken he was sure he appeared.

"Yes."

Words like sick, survival rate, tumor, surgery... They careened and collided between Sasuke's ears, leaving him disoriented, constricted, and frightened. The constant "low-grade" sicknesses, the nausea, the fact that he'd been seeing less and less trash in the garbage can... They made sense now. He thought that Itachi had just been tired and overworked. He thought that he was eating at school. Fuck.

Sure, Itachi would probably live through this. It would probably become a distant memory. But his brain wasn't so forgiving. His breathing was beginning to feel shallow. What would happen to Itachi?

This. This was exactly why Itachi always hesitated before sharing things with him. He was afraid that Sasuke would overreact, just like he was tempted to do now. He would have to stay cool. He'd have to be strong for his brother. He counted silently in his head, calming his breath so that he would not hyperventilate. Sasuke grounded himself.

"What are the risks, other than the obvious?"

Itachi paused, staring at a wall far into his periphery.

"Well... There's a small risk that the tumor could become malignant. It's attached itself to my intestine and pancreas."

Sasuke stared, gaped openly. He couldn't help it. Malignant? That meant _cancer_. Cancer was bad enough in the stomach and intestine, but if that cancer were to spread to his pancreas... Itachi would be lucky if he had a single year ahead of him. Dammit, he had to show some discipline, to pull himself together. Back into his familiar expression.

"What's a 'small risk'?"

Itachi shrugged.

"My doctor seemed kind of vague when it came to that, but he said that it was unlikely."

He didn't like this. He didn't like the uncertainty. Where were the percentages, the reliability? What did "all that likely" mean?

"How long have you known?"

Itachi's head lopped downwards.

"A couple months."

Months? He'd kept this from him for months? Sasuke's voice was clearly baffled, and even a little hurt.

"Why would you keep this from me?"

Itachi's eyes were pleading and apologetic.

"I know, Sasuke, I know. But you've gone through more than anyone your age should ever have to. You worry over me so much as is... I just couldn't do this to you."

Itachi's words stung. Sasuke had made his own issues so evident that Itachi felt obligated to shove his own turmoil aside...even something like this. God, even something as simple as Itachi showing up an hour late to pick him up could make Sasuke fly off the handle. No wonder Itachi kept this to himself. His brother needed his help, and Sasuke had been too egocentric to even realize it.

"I'm not the only one having a hard time. We're supposed to have each other. That's how it's supposed to work. What did you expect to tell me when you had the surgery?"

The long-haired Uchiha shrugged.

"I would've just told you right before, I suppose. Less time for you to worry."

Sasuke had approached Itachi because he looked stressed, desperate, and overwhelmed. Sasuke had pushed Itachi into confiding his troubles in him. Like hell would he add consoling a brother nearing a panic attack to that list. He had to be strong.

"I... I would've had it earlier, but so much was happening."

Sasuke's eyes slumped to the ground. Was this his fault? Had he caused such a ruckus that he'd prevented Itachi for seeking help when he really needed it? Had he relied on Itachi that profoundly? He had so cluelessly been endangering Itachi's health.

Itachi's eyes immediately broadened as he shook his hand.

"No no, not you, Sasuke. I guess that was a part of it, but it was such a horrible crunch period at work, and I had this huge case study to present for my liability tort class... I should have had the surgery when I could."

Itachi was making excuses, surely. He didn't want Sasuke to feel guilty. Even Itachi had admitted that Sasuke had been "a part of it." And this was supposed to be his last family left, someone for whom he would give his _life_...

"When are you having the surgery?"

Itachi smiled sadly, shaking his head.

"That's the thing. When I got fired today, I lost my health insurance. And with my pre-existing condition, I'd have to pay an arm and a leg to find something new. They want about twenty-five thousand for the surgery, and they said I'll probably need a follow up operation too."

Sasuke was disciplined, remaining composed yet empathetic. This was bad. From what Sasuke had assessed, this surgery was crucial to Itachi's wellbeing, and even his survival.

"Whatever the case, Sasuke, I can find a way to have the surgery. I might need to stop going to school for a while, maybe sell the house. But that will take time, and I...don't have much time to spend."

Itachi's forehead fell to his palm.

"At this point... I just don't know what to do..." Itachi trailed, his voice cracking.

Sasuke paused. Itachi was near tears, and it shook Sasuke to the core. He knew that for Itachi to show this vulnerability, the situation had to be dire. All the more reason for Sasuke to ensure that he detracted from the problem rather than contributed to it.

"What about my college fund?"

Itachi gaped.

"No, I can't take your college fund. You need that."

Doing his best to lift Itachi's spirits, Sasuke smirked.

"I didn't say I was _giving_ it to you, asshole. Consider this a loan. You can pay me back when you're some hotshot lawyer."

Although Itachi was reluctant to accept the money, he seemed relieved.

"When I'm some hotshot lawyer, I'll pay it back with interest. That is...a tremendous help. But there's still a lot more to scrounge up."

Sasuke sighed. What _would_ they do? He'd always been such a burden on his brother. It had been a rather one-way arrangement, Itachi always giving and Sasuke always taking. He hated watching this happen to someone so special to him.

He hated being so young. He hated being a child. Useless. Powerless. This situation was out of his control. What could he do? Well, there was...one thing.

"I'll figure it out."

Itachi perked a brow, staring at Sasuke in disbelief.

"What?"

Sasuke was fully aware of how preposterous this sounded, but he didn't care. He knew what he was capable of. Maybe others would underestimate him, but Sasuke would not make this mistake.

"Get as much cash as you can for the surgery, and I'll take care of the rest."

Itachi's arms dropped as he stared at Sasuke, full of dry skepticism.

"You're telling me that you're going to raise five thousand dollars?"

Sasuke didn't waver.

"Yes."

Itachi seemed torn between laughing and simply shaking his head.

"Sasuke, you're fifteen years old. How do you expect to make that kind of money?"

Sasuke frowned, hating how his age always bit him in the ass like this. He felt so much older. He _felt_ like he was adult. He had certainly had lived through enough, and he sometimes felt like he was an old soul, tired and overwrought. Yet the world would never view him this way. Still, he knew just how he was going to do this. He had seen how lucrative it was firsthand. Yet this was a necessary secret.

"I will. Just don't expect it overnight"

"But Sasuke..."

The younger Uchiha simply shook his head. He was aware of how ludicrous this plan seemed, but there were things Itachi didn't know.

"Ever since our folks died, it's all been about me. You're always taking care of me, worrying about me, and fighting for me. So for once, _I'm_ going to take care of _you_, and you're going to deal with it."

Itachi simply stared. He couldn't think to do much more, his bottom jaw opening and closing with silent words. In a gesture Sasuke was all too familiar with, Sasuke held his pointer and middle fingers together and nudged them between Itachi's eyebrows.

"We'll get through this, Itachi. Just like we've always done."

Sasuke sounded dauntless and certain, but his insides were writhing against each other. The misting of sweat on his chest felt cold. There were two people who took the vast majority of his affections: Itachi and Naruto. One of them had a tumor in his gut and urgently needed a surgery they couldn't afford, and the other was molested at knife-point a couple weeks ago.

Sasuke's mind returned to one of the first nights he'd ever spent with Naruto. Itachi had been late to pick him up and didn't answer his cell phone. He'd fretted, catastrophized, and immediately lashed out at Itachi the moment he took the passenger seat. Again, when Naruto was forced to leave the park, he fought bitterly with his friend and spent hours that night fretting. But compared to his current situation, these were minor hiccups.

He knew that he could be paranoid, that his mind liked to run away with itself. Still, didn't he have a right to be? It wasn't rare that he was actually right. Given Sasuke's anxious disposition since the fire, the stress was so great that he could hardly react. Yet this was not a time to lose his head. People were counting on him.

Itachi wiped at a moist eye. From the beginning of their conversation, it seemed that Itachi was close to tears. However, he'd successfully avoided crying. Thank god. That would've been a thoroughly disturbing experience, and Sasuke didn't know how much more he could handle in one night.

"Thank you, Sasuke."

Itachi reached towards Sasuke, wordlessly soliciting a hug. Hugging his brother? That was weird. The two of them were close, but they didn't exactly have a hugging sort of relationship. All this mushy stuff... Unintentionally, Sasuke's nose twitched as he hesitantly gandered at his brother.

What the hell... He leaned towards Itachi, their arms bumping against each other as they gracelessly tried to decide whose arm would be on top, on which side. Their faces nearly collided as they slid past each other. After a couple muttered eh's and um's, they held each other, both bodies rigid and tense. As they parted, Sasuke cleared his throat, and Itachi tucked a long strand of hair behind his ear.

"That was...really weird, wasn't it?"

The younger brother nodded slowly.

"Yes. Let's not do that again."

Itachi chuckled, lifting his hand to his mouth. Having been present for all fifteen years of Sasuke's life, he knew well how to take his candor.

"No?"

The teen shook his head and smiled.

"No."

With a shoulder pat and a good night, the brothers parted. The raven had gently closed the door behind him and was now sauntering over to his swiveling chair.

"Hey! Where are my tangerines?"

Plunking himself down, Sasuke placed his right hand at the keyboard but quickly lost himself in thought. He inhaled. Exhaled. Inhaled. He counted the seconds, determined to keep his cool.

"Sasuke..."

Naruto tugged Sasuke's sleeve, and the Uchiha stared back at him listlessly and devoid of attitude.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

What was wrong with Sasuke? Sasuke was always so clever and observant, but now he seemed dazed. A deep sigh escaped from Sasuke's chest. It seemed that his body had clung to it involuntarily. At the sound, Sasuke jerked into consciousness.

"Yeah. Everything's fine."

Sasuke couldn't tell Naruto what happened. He didn't want to think about this anymore, let alone explain it to someone. He didn't want Naruto trying to leave because he felt guilty about burdening him. Most importantly, he didn't want any questions when he did what he knew had to be done.

* * *

AN: Ah, so _this_ is why the last chapter was so light-hearted...

What do you think of this chapter? What's Sasuke planning? What's going to happen to Itachi? It's truly enjoyable from my readers. You all know how I love my reviews.


	22. Chapter 20

To say the least, Sasuke had not been looking forward to school today. He had quite a chore in front of him, and somehow, this made him despise the dimly lit halls, the crowded classrooms, and the greasy-smelling cafeteria even more. If only he'd been older, he could have gotten a job. If only he hadn't lost his possessions in the fire last year, he could have sold them. His options were limited. He had told Itachi that he'd take care of the money, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

When he left for school this morning, Sasuke still hadn't explained his situation to Naruto, claiming that Itachi had called off work sick today. He supposed that this was a version of the truth, though perhaps mangled beyond all recognition. Hopefully this wouldn't end up like the last secret he kept from Naruto, yanked out into the light at some horribly inopportune moment.

The night before, Sasuke shoved the majority of his valuable possessions in his backpack while Naruto was sleeping. He found it ironic that his former shoplifting habit would have such a strange way of becoming convenient. Perhaps this was his penance, although he was about to commit a much more egregious sin. He had a choice back then. He did it for exhilaration, for shits and giggles. He wished that things were that simple now.

The very first thing he had stolen was a serpent necklace. It seemed like such a long time ago that he had dropped it down his sleeve, basking in the rush as he passed through those metal detectors. Yet he remembered that day well. The item had been replaced by a twenty dollar bill before third period. He hoped to sell off his only mp3 player for a reasonable price within the next couple days. How he wished that he still owned the Playstation 3, XBox, and digital camera that had been destroyed in the fire.

A frustrated huff of air escaped Sasuke as he approached Kabuto's classroom, moving quickly so as to intercept him before he reached the cafeteria. He didn't want the other three hearing this. He wanted to keep it from them as long as possible. The man walked out the door, his backpack slumped lazily over one shoulder. Kabuto was one of the last people he wanted to talk to at the moment, given their most recent interaction. But again, people were relying on him.

"Hey, Kabuto."

It took considerable effort for Sasuke to keep his tone from sounding as begrudging as he felt.

"Oh, hello Sasuke," Kabuto smirked.

Sasuke kept his voice low, though not to the point that he appeared suspicious.

"I have something to talk to you about. Have a few minutes?"

Kabuto cocked his head at Sasuke.

"Of course, for you."

They walked together in silence for several seconds.

"So, you're talking to me again, hm? It's nice to see you get past your little hissy fit. I knew you were growing up."

Despite himself, Sasuke's fist clenched tightly inside his jacket's sleeve. What he wouldn't give to break those damned glasses right across that smug face of his at this very moment. But perhaps this was for the best. If Sasuke could play up his avoidance as a temporary matter of stubbornness and pride, Kabuto might be more willing to cooperate with him. Kabuto didn't have to know that had Itachi not lost his job, he would have never talked to the senior again if he could help it.

"Just so we're clear, never pull something like that on me again."

Kabuto swatted at Sasuke dismissively.

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Hey, if I'd have known it would be such a problem, I never would have done it."

What a load of shit. He wanted to go off on Kabuto, to give him the verbal lashing of a lifetime. But that would hardly suit his purposes.

"No, actually. I wanted to talk to you about something else."

Kabuto raised his brows. It was understandable that he'd be surprised. Sasuke could count on one hand the number of times he'd spoken with Kabuto privately, and with good reason. Given the things Kabuto was always trying to drag Sasuke into, he preferred not to be alone with him.

"Well? It's not like you to beat around the bush, Sasuke."

This was the worst part. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He couldn't believe he'd ever want to play a part in any of this business. Of course, it was dangerous. But even beyond that, it was something that had never even remotely appealed to him. He could walk away from Kabuto right now. He could tell him to forget about it, and that would be that. But he had made a promise to his brother. He forced himself to speak.

"How's the inventory?"

There was no secret between the two of them as to what that meant. Kabuto grinned back at Sasuke. The pony-tailed senior had been waiting to hear this question from Sasuke all year.

"Overstocked and top quality, as usual. Why do you ask?"

It was more than obvious that Kabuto knew where this was headed. Prior to this, no amount of pressuring, manipulation, or "reasoning" had budged the stubborn Uchiha. Kabuto was just waiting for those precious words, savoring his victory.

"I want in."

Well, there it was. Kabuto would never let him forget it now, so he might as well resign himself to it. To make matters worse, the older of the two merely laughed.

"Finally! I was wondering when you'd just cut all that pussy shit and dip a toe in the big leagues."

Sasuke sighed.

"I'm going to be transparent with you. This is only temporary. I'm raising cash for a medical procedure, and once I do, I'm done. I don't want to ever be involved with this again."

Kabuto smiled back at Sasuke.

"Of course. You can quit whenever you want to. I'm not going to force you or anything."

Sasuke knew that Kabuto didn't believe him. "It's only temporary." Kabuto had heard that many times before, and maybe he'd even said it a few times himself. But Sasuke really did mean it. If only he'd been a year older, he would have raised the money legitimately. But he couldn't afford to wait.

Sasuke didn't trust Kabuto in the least. He only hoped he could get out of this situation before he either got caught and ended up in juvie, or Kabuto crossed him. Sasuke wasn't a _dealer_, no. He wasn't making a career of it; with help from his brother, a couple months should be enough. Maybe when he was an adult, he'd look back on all of this with a shake of the head, wondering how such a time could have been a part of his otherwise clean and well-behaved existence. Everyone had a time like this in their lives, Sasuke reasoned.

Fortunately, the hallways were loud, themed music playing over the PA system for one of their handful of school spirit days.

"I just want to stick to pills and weed. Nothing hard."

Kabuto shook his head.

"Sasuke. Like I said, I'm not going to force you into anything, okay?"

Maybe he wouldn't know exactly what Kabuto was scheming, but if he stayed alert, he could likely evade him. He had been stupid to trust Kabuto enough to accept an open container of alcohol from him. He didn't want to make such a mistake again. Sasuke only nodded at Kabuto curtly.

"I'll talk to Deidara and see if I can put you in touch with some buyers. I've got to hurry home today, so I'll hand the stuff over to you after school gets out. You should be able to make at least a couple sales today. These kids will pay almost anything, so the money's good."

...Today? He had needed the money quickly, yes, but he hadn't expected to be peddling drugs just hours after this conversation. He had spoken before abstractly. Suddenly, it felt so real to him. His breath came shallow. He couldn't believe he was in this situation. He hid all of this well. If anything, the Uchiha had a remarkable poker face.

"I need to borrow your scale for today then."

Kabuto nodded reassuringly.

"Of course. Don't worry, I'll tell you everything you need to know. You can take all of the cash just for today, to get you started"

This was, perhaps, an incentive to keep Sasuke from getting cold feet. Still, he appreciated it.

"Thanks..."

Kabuto read Sasuke's hesitation now.

"I think you'll be good at this, Sasuke. You may not know much about your product, but I can help you with that easily. You have the brains for business and enough social influence to make some big waves, and that's what counts."

Flattery, though from Kabuto's expression, it did not seem to be fully self-serving. Perhaps Kabuto remembered being in Sasuke's situation...or perhaps he was just a better actor than Sasuke.

They reached the cafeteria and took a seat with their usual group. Juugo smiled warmly upon seeing Sasuke, giving him an exuberant pat on the back. Karin waved flirty, and Suigetsu offered a high five, which Sasuke reluctantly accepted. They all told Sasuke how glad they were to see him again, and how lame the lunch periods had been without him. He had told himself that he didn't care about any of these people, except for maybe Juugo. Still, he couldn't deny that it felt a little nice to be missed so much.

It wasn't that the other three had played a big part in that night. Juugo really had been too intoxicated to drive, and Karin and Suigetsu weren't even conscious. Though a little frustrated that they had such little sense as to stay at a party after being drugged, Sasuke wasn't exactly angry with them either. All the same, they weren't the best company.

If Naruto knew what he was doing right now... God, he didn't even want to think about that. He had told the blond that he would never associate himself with these people again, but that was before he knew about Itachi's situation. Extenuating circumstances, right? Still, it made him a little sick.

Throughout his lunch period, Sasuke responded to conversation with both distance and disinterest, but his typically acerbic wit was lacking. He was preyed upon by guilt, nervousness, and maybe even a tinge of excitement. Kabuto would occasionally smile or wink at Sasuke reassuringly when no one was looking. Despite the fact that he considered Kabuto a duplicitous snake, it did help him relax.

He didn't know why he even bothered trying to concentrate through his classes before school got out. He'd write down maybe a page of notes before his mind would determine to wander. If only there were some other way to earn this money. He would try, of course. Even if he had to mow lawns, every dollar earned meant less time doing what he was doing now. Even if he sold every piece of jewelry or expensive clothing he owned, he couldn't imagine the total breaching a couple hundred.

The school bell sounded more like a judge's gavel than a declaration of freedom. He met up with Kabuto, who drove down a nearby side street with his Camry. He laid out two baggies of weed and two pill bottles.

Kabuto explained what each drug did, how to most reliably judge weed quality without smoking it (apparently an imperfect art), how to zero and balance a scale, how to price and negotiate, who to target, dealer etiquette, and how to set up transactions.

Sasuke was silent, attempting to commit all of these prices and techniques to memory. He learned quickly, though these were things he could've lived without knowing. The numbers and procedures jumbled in his brain, and coupled with his uneasiness, it was quite a task to retain the information. However, Sasuke was a quick learner, and Kabuto was a patient teacher. It made Sasuke wonder how Kabuto could possibly know so much.

"Kabuto, how long have you been doing this for?"

Kabuto smirked, taking the question as a compliment.

"Five years now. I was just past your age when I started."

Kabuto took a drag off of his cigarette. Sasuke gestured a request to have one for himself, and Kabuto held the carton towards him. Sasuke slid out his cigarette and lit it with Kabuto's lighter. God, he felt so tense. He needed this, inhaling deeply and holding the nicotine in his lungs.

"It makes good money. After shit hit the fan, I wanted to live on my own. I was able to live comfortably enough."

Sasuke believed he knew what Kabuto was referring to. It had been one of their better moments. The first time Sasuke came to school after his parents' death, people stared, chattering and quickly averting their eyes when they noticed that the sullen Uchiha was in earshot. It was juicy gossip, after all. Some freshman's parents were just burned alive last week.

His friends tried to comfort him, though he didn't need it. He refused to show vulnerability in front of all of these people. Given that Juugo had been with Sasuke just hours before the tragedy occurred, they only needed eye contact and Juugo's gentle smiles to communicate. Karin hugged him tearfully and Suigetsu just kept shaking his head and saying "That's so fucked up, I'm sorry." Kabuto was silent. The situation was awkward, and at Sasuke's request, the subject was quickly changed.

After all the fuss had died down, Kabuto walked behind Sasuke and placed his hand on his shoulder. Puzzled, Sasuke turned around and glanced up at Kabuto's face. Kabuto wore an expression which Sasuke found difficult to describe. For once, he didn't appear flippant, snide, or scheming. He looked unusually serious, but more than that, he seemed...sad. This was something people never saw from Kabuto. It was the damndest thing.

"I've been there. Keep your head up, Uchiha."

And with that, he was gone. Despite all of Kabuto's schemes, mysteries, and tricks of the tongue, in some regards, he was a very simple man. He was in life for his own gain and amusement. He would labor, manipulate, and withhold truth as suited him best. However, this single incident was an exception that Sasuke always remembered. Maybe no one was as simple as they appeared.

From that, he had pieced together that something must have happened to either one or both of Kabuto's guardians. Considering what he had just said now, that must have been why he started selling drugs. He thought it would be an easy way to support himself, and from what he knew of Kabuto, he had never been as well-behaved of a kid as Sasuke. Though Kabuto likely had many options at his disposal, Sasuke doubted that there had been much of a debate in his mind.

Kabuto and Sasuke finished promptly. Though Sasuke felt that he now had a much better grip on the specifics of his new "hobby," he still felt like he was in over his head. He'd never bought any substances for himself; it had always been provided for him. He'd never even used the pills, and he'd smoked weed only twice. There were so many different words to describe the qualities and strains of marijuana that it made his head spin. Could he really pull this off?

As he reunited with his classmates, several close friends of Deidara's, he knew he could only do his best. It wasn't difficult to find interested participants. He knew these kids personally. They frequently bought from Kabuto and had never snitched on him, so he hoped that they were trustworthy enough. And as Kabuto said, the kids here were willing to pay about any price. Deidara and his friends were loaded.

Sasuke left the streets around his school about an hour later with almost four hundred bucks in his pockets. He had sold everything Kabuto had given him, and he'd also sold off a handful of possessions. Sasuke had fared far better than he had expected, so why wasn't he happy? He was in business. He could raise Itachi's money even more quickly than he had thought.

Regardless, he couldn't shake the pungent, greasy feeling of guilt sludging around in his gut. The simple truth of the matter was that he was dealing drugs, and he was only fifteen. This was something he would've never expected or wanted for himself. When he had begun to shoplift, there had been an excitement to it that pulled him in. He wasn't excited now. He just wanted to get this over with as quickly as he could and put it behind him.

He bused by the mall on the way home. It had been a long time since he had been there. Ever since he decided to quit shoplifting, Sasuke had avoided temptation by staying away from stores. He disciplined himself today, heading directly towards the sales desk of every store in the mall and inquiring for work. The only store that would "consider" hiring anyone under sixteen was already overstaffed.

It was getting dark as Sasuke rode the bus home. This would be enough for today. Tomorrow, he would sell more, and he'd see if there were any odd jobs he could take. The sooner he could wash his hands of the situation, the better.

He was entirely split on how he felt about coming home to Naruto. On one hand, he didn't know if he could look his exuberant lover in the eyes. On the other hand, Naruto knew nothing of what he had done today. Naruto seemed so innocent, so untainted to Sasuke... It was contagious. Sometimes just being around Naruto, being held by him and loved by him, made him feel purer. Naruto would wash all of the dirt and sludge off of him, and he'd feel clean.

When he entered his home, Itachi was lying on the couch. He rested on a pillow as he highlighted his textbook on negligence torts. It was definitely strange to see Itachi home at such an hour. Itachi smiled at Sasuke as he entered the door.

"You're back awfully late. How was school?"

Sasuke forced a smile.

"Not too bad. I found a job for myself."

Itachi paused.

"Seriously?"

"Mhm. I stopped by St. Magdalene's on the way home, and they said they needed some help cleaning the grounds. Most the people there already know me, so it was easy."

Yes, he was indeed telling his brother that he was working for a _church_ of all places. He almost wondered if he should run out of the house should any lightning bolts crash down to smite him. Two house fires in one year was just getting ridiculous.

Itachi smiled brightly.

"That's wonderful! Sasuke, I'm so proud of you!"

Proud... Yeah. Sasuke did his best to look pleased by the comment as guilt gnawed at his innards.

"It's not like you to be so modest."

Sasuke snickered, attempting to act as he normally did.

"Well, I'm already bringing home some cash. Here."

He handed sixty dollars over to Itachi. There was no way Itachi would believe that he earned four hundred bucks by cleaning church grounds one night. He would keep the money separate, giving it to Itachi as quickly as he could without raising suspicion.

Itachi was glowing.

"I know it's not much, but they only gave me a few hours today. I'm going to see if I can get any jobs mowing lawns, or doing newspaper routes or whatever. And... Stop staring at me like that."

Itachi snapped out of his daze, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, it's just... I've never seen you be so...responsible. You're really into this, aren't you?"

Responsible. How could that describe his current actions? His bones felt hollow.

"Yes, I'm pretty much amazing."

Itachi laughed.

With a more serious tone, Sasuke added, "When I said I was going to take care of you, I meant it."

Itachi smiled at Sasuke, at a loss for words.

"Thank you...so much. But don't think that you have to raise all this money yourself. I'm sure I could find some people to tutor again at my school. I got paid pretty decently last time."

Sasuke nodded, very relieved to hear this. He might get out of this in as short as a month if he was lucky. Itachi had no idea how much money Sasuke was making. Itachi already looked so happy... Sasuke wished he could just throw all four hundred bucks into Itachi's hand, just to see the smile on his face.

"So together, it won't be so bad."

Itachi shook his head.

"We can get through it together. I'm lucky to have a brother like you, Sasuke."

Sasuke paused, a smile soon after ghosting his lips. Was that a fact? The compliment seemed tainted. Everything Sasuke did, he did for Itachi. Still, the brother Itachi was supposedly so lucky to have around was selling drugs.

"No. It's about time I pitched in."

Itachi seemed to light up at the comment. Sasuke appreciated Itachi's efforts more than Itachi could possibly know, thus why the words were so meaningful to Itachi.

Despite the guilt, the nervousness, and the feeling of just being tainted, this exchange had lifted his mood. After seeing Itachi so depressed the night he was fired, seeing him this ecstatic was medicine to his wounds. Maybe he had made the right decision after all.

* * *

A/n: I Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Would love to hear your reactions!

Next chapter, next Sunday. =)


	23. Chapter 21

"Where the hell _were_ you?" Naruto hissed under his breath.

Sasuke rolled his backpack off of his shoulder and threw it on the bed.

"It's like...nine o'clock! Your brother's been home since four. I've had to piss for like two hours! I don't even..."

Sasuke quickly closed in on Naruto, cupping his cheek in his hand and kissing him softly. Their tongues entwined momentarily before Sasuke withdrew. Naruto blinked up at Sasuke, a flush misting his cheeks.

"I've been waiting to do that all day."

Naruto tilted his head towards the side. It wasn't like Sasuke to be so affectionate.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay, Sasuke? Like...any hallucinations today? Uncontrollable laughter?"

Sasuke smiled back at Naruto ever so lightly. If Naruto had known what he'd been up to, would he have even wanted to kiss him? Sasuke turned on his radio, using the comfortable volume of the rock music to conceal their whispered voices and avoid being overheard.

"It's just...been a long day."

Naruto gestured at the clock by Sasuke's bed.

"It sure has. What were you even doing?"

Sasuke inhaled, casting his eyes out the window as he slowly let the air out. He needed to explain to Naruto why Itachi would be "calling off of work" again tomorrow. He glanced back at Naruto, the blond's face expectant and blissfully unaware.

Indeed, the Uchiha was a secretive man. But was it right to hide these sorts of secrets from his lover? He frowned. How much would he reveal? He would have to explain why Itachi would be home so often now, and his illness was sure to be made evident in time as well.

But did he really have to know where all the money was coming from? Maybe what Naruto knew wouldn't hurt him. But he was going back on the promise he had made to Naruto. He at least owed the blond an honest explanation. He'd debated this with himself all day, and yet he still seemed as uncertain as ever.

"I have some shitty news for you."

Naruto frowned.

"I knew something had to be up. I just thought you were starting to lose it."

The raven snickered.

"You're saying that I need to be insane to miss you?"

"In your case? Probably something like that."

Sasuke huffed, rolling his eyes in benevolent exasperation.

"Don't leave me in suspense, dude. What's going on?"

Sasuke sighed. God, Naruto was going to hate him for this. But maybe if he explained the situation beforehand, explained his reasoning, Naruto might be understanding.

"Last night, I found out that Itachi got fired. Sorry for lying to you, by the way. I just wasn't ready to talk about it."

Naruto nodded slowly.

"So... What does this mean for you guys?"

Naruto was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding one knee into his chest. Sasuke eased himself down next to Naruto, placing his head on the pillow and lying on his back. He was very glad to be home, and he certainly was not looking forward to school tomorrow. Naruto joined him, facing Sasuke as he lay on his side.

"It looks like we're going to live off of instant ramen for a while."

Despite the situation, Naruto gave a wide grin.

"Don't tell me you actually like that crap."

Oh what little Sasuke knew. Naruto responded in a dry tone.

"Sasuke, I want nothing more out of life than to swim in a pool of creamy chicken ramen."

Sasuke huffed, "Disgusting."

Naruto only chuckled in response. The words of a White Stripes song filled the room as conversation ebbed temporarily.

"Itachi's going to be home more. We need to be more careful."

How long could they keep going like this? It was shocking that Itachi hadn't already caught them, even with his hectic work and school hours. Sasuke was absolutely painstaking in covering their tracks, but now that Itachi would only be gone school hours... It was only a matter of time, now more than ever. Now that he Naruto's brows were knit in thought, troubled sapphire eyes staring down at the pillow.

"What's wrong?"

"Look," Naruto's breath stuttered as he spoke, "I don't want to put the two of you out, given that you're already having money troubles. I understand if you want me to leave."

Sasuke shook his head, almost as if by reflex.

"No. If you really like that instant ramen shit as much as you say you do, it wouldn't make much difference"

He didn't want to admit that he liked Naruto around, that he wouldn't know what to do with himself now without him. With everything that was going on, he felt that Naruto was one of the few things that kept him grounded. Naruto made him stronger, and he needed all the strength he could get.

Naruto's relief was obvious when he nodded.

"Alright then."

"Though...with Itachi being around so often, we need to figure out what we're going to do once you're caught."

"I know where you're going with this, and I'm not..."

Sasuke sighed, "I know, you won't go to foster care. We need to do some research. Not now, though. There's other stuff we need to address."

Naruto rolled his eyes, not seeing why Sasuke was so against Naruto just returning the streets. It had worked before, hadn't it? Sasuke's bangs fell across his forehead as he turned to Naruto.

"When Itachi lost his job, he lost his tuition waivers and our health insurance. The latter wouldn't have been so bad, except... Itachi's had a tumor in his stomach for about two months now, which he thought was a good idea to hide from me until last night. So now he has no health insurance and desperately needs this twenty-five thousand dollar surgery which we can't afford."

Naruto did a poor job at hiding the shock on his face. No wonder Sasuke had seemed preoccupied last night. How could he just roll something off like that? Other than seeming a little tense, Sasuke seemed his typical, misanthropic self. The Uchiha was every bit as stoic under pressure as Naruto had imagined he would be.

"Holy shit. Is he...gonna be okay?"

Sasuke hesitated before nodding.

"Yeah, it looks like it. The doctor gave him a ninety-something percent probability of survival, and it's benign. It just started growing really quickly over the past couple weeks and has connected to other organs, so it's urgent. Shitty timing."

Sasuke thought he'd done a good job of concealing his worry. Perhaps he had. But Naruto's hand reached over to Sasuke's face, his thumb tracing down Sasuke's forehead. Sasuke swallowed.

"Are you scared?"

Terrified, he'd been tempted to say. Sasuke's eyes traveled up to the ceiling.

"Like I told you before, I don't scare so easily."

Naruto snickered lightly, tugging at Sasuke's cheek with his thumb and pointer finger. Sasuke knit his brows in annoyance as Naruto's prodding distorted his face.

"Alright, bastard."

He was glad to at least gotten this much out of the way, but the worst was yet to come. Sasuke edged away from Naruto's concern, his light touches... They made Sasuke feel guilty. He suspected that they'd all come to an abrupt halt after he finally came clean.

"I loaned Itachi my college fund for the surgery, so we only need a few more thousand. As for what I was doing tonight, I took the bus out to the mall and looked for a job. As you'd expect, no one wants to hire someone my age, especially given the economy."

Sasuke would do this for his brother? The bond between the two brothers was something that Naruto had never observed before. Maybe this was what it meant to have a family. Though it made him a little jealous, he was glad that Sasuke had something like this in his life.

"But I did find _something_..."

"Seriously?!"

"And you're going to hate me for it."

Naruto didn't know what to make of this statement, his features scrunched as he stared back at the younger male.

"Sasuke, I don't think you could make me hate you if you tried. You're already such an asshole, so I don't see how it could get much worse."

"I'll hold you to that."

Naruto's persistent smile reassured him.

"You're welcome to."

Why was he even telling Naruto this? Was it worth worrying Naruto? Upsetting him? Risking their relationship? If Sasuke confided in no one, then he would have no one to hold him accountable. He worried that he'd drift too far, and maybe he'd even end up like Kabuto one day. But more than that, there was something about the wide-eyed blond that made him very difficult for Sasuke to lie to. The closest Sasuke could come to explaining this was that it seemed like Naruto deserved the truth.

The words were sticking to his tongue. He forced himself into speech.

"But I know some people who sell...pills and stuff around school. I'm going to help them out, but the instant we can afford that surgery, I'll have nothing to do with it."

Sasuke's words seemed to stick somewhere between Naruto's ears and his brain.

"Wait... What?"

Sasuke sighed.

"That was pretty clear. Don't make me get into it."

"You don't mean like...selling _drugs_, do you?"

Dumbfounded blue eyes were wide and disbelieving, as if he hardly even comprehended what Sasuke was telling him. They filled Sasuke with guilt, so he turned away.

"I wasn't aware there were other types of pills."

"Sasuke, this is crazy! You told me you weren't going to do this stuff anymore!"

An undertone of anger laced Naruto's voice. Sasuke's voice traveled in the opposite direction, conciliatory.

"I don't like this either, but what other choice do I have?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Nuh uh. There has to be some other way."

"I'd love to hear it."

"Can't your brother raise the money?" Naruto challenged.

"There are plenty of ways we could raise the money, but it would take months. Itachi's going to help, but he tells me that his health is deteriorating too quickly for him to put in the same hours he used to. We need to find a faster way, and this is it."

The older male shook his head again, refusing to accept this.

"No, this is bullshit. Do you really think they're going to let your brother die? If he's really that bad, they have to operate."

The Uchiha fought to control the anger and even desperation in his voice as he answered.

"I'm not going to let his health deteriorate to the point that the hospitals have no other choice. He's already forecasted to have some complications."

Sasuke sighed.

"You didn't see Itachi the other night. He's a genius, literally, and he looked terrified, like his back was up against a wall. If there were another solution to this, Itachi would have figured it out. I'm sure of it."

"Still... _This_? This isn't a _solution_. This is just..."

Sasuke turned onto his back again, closing his eyes as he inhaled deeply.

"Itachi is the only family I have left, Naruto."

When Sasuke's eyes opened again, they were stubborn and unyielding. They bore directly into Naruto's.

"I'm _not_ taking any chances with him."

The other frowned, staring down at his pillow. He knew that there was no convincing Sasuke now, though as much as Naruto couldn't stand it, he couldn't exactly blame him. His memory returned to the night Sasuke returned to the house, drugged and completely disoriented.

"Are these the same people who drugged you that one night?"

Hesitantly, Sasuke nodded.

"Sasuke, if you get yourself in juvie or even killed, it's not going to help your brother any."

Death? Sasuke couldn't help but smile. Maybe he wasn't the only one who could take his worrying a bit far.

"They wouldn't kill me. They're not _that_ bad. A few of my other friends were drugged at the party too. They all had a great time and were fine, apparently. I think the only reason I got so sick was because it interacted with some medication I'm taking."

The vague inference to his medication reminded Naruto that Sasuke didn't know that Naruto had already found the Zoloft bottle. Naruto had no clue about the interactions of alcohol, some random other drug, and psychiatric medications. Sasuke neglected to mention that whatever the case, Kabuto had given him a formidable dose. The raven's words reassured Naruto in part, but the situation was concerning nonetheless.

Still, Naruto was angry. After all that Sasuke had endured at the hands of his so-called "friends," couldn't he see that involving himself again could only lead to trouble? Sure, he had a much better motive now, but motives don't keep people out of jail cells. He had actually _thought_ that Sasuke was going to turn around. Yet now here he was, even deeper in than he had ever been before. Under better circumstances, he would've punched him.

"I suppose there's no talking you out of this."

Sasuke shook his head.

"Don't worry so much. I'll probably only be doing this for a month or so, then it's all over. Back to proms and video games and all that other teenage shit. And I'm going to be looking for legal stuff I can do the whole time."

To say he still had his reservations was an understatement, but Naruto nodded slowly. He was angry, but more than that, he was terrified. What would happen to Sasuke? What would happen to _him_? Naruto didn't have much, but now he could lose what little he did have. For this reason, he tried to stave his anger, reminding himself that as much as he personally had endured, he could never truly understand what Sasuke was going through right now. And more practically, the more grief he gave Sasuke over his decision, the more secretive Sasuke would become about all of this in the future. Naruto wanted to know as much as he could, so this would be one of those rare times that Naruto actually thought before he spoke.

"Can you really raise that much money doing this?"

Sasuke's face was flat.

"I made four hundred bucks in an hour today."

Naruto's mouth swung open so quickly it was comical.

"What?! No, you're full of shit."

Sighing, Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand and forced it upright. He dug in his pocket and plopped the remaining money on Naruto's palm. Naruto, who might not have seen that much cash before in his lifetime, seemed like he was ready to burst at the seams.

"This is a lot of money!"

"I wouldn't do something like this for chump change."

Naruto was still staring at his hand. He didn't like this situation any more, but Sasuke's decision was beginning to make a little bit more sense to him.

"How are you going to explain this money to your brother, anyway?"

Sasuke placed his forearm over his eyes, grumbling back reluctantly, "I told him St. Magdalene's took me on for some extra work."

The blond's voice came back dry as a desert.

"You're selling drugs..." He paused. "So you told your brother you're working at a church?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to say it. I'm a horrible person."

Despite everything, Naruto couldn't keep a hint of laughter out of his response.

"You certainly have a flare for the ironic, don't you, S'uke?"

"So it would seem," Sasuke mumbled.

"I still think this is a horrible idea, but I understand why you feel like you need to do this."

The paler of the two could think of no response, merely grunting. Naruto leaned forward, kissing Sasuke's forehead.

"I know you like to be all...mysterious and shit, but promise me that you'll tell me if anything big happens."

Sasuke's brows furrowed. He didn't like this promise. But perhaps this would be good for even him. After all that had been happening recently, he was beginning to question whether or not he really trusted himself. Naruto could hold him steady when he might have otherwise drifted away. Of course, he'd rather die than admit this to Naruto.

"Fine. I'll tell you."

Chapped lips graced a sad smile.

"I know you're worried about your brother, but I'm worried about _you_."

Sasuke rested his large pale hand against Naruto's cheek. It had seemed that Sasuke's hands had taken the effects of his growth first, and sometimes Sasuke felt they were even too large for his wrists. But Naruto smiled, nuzzling deeper into its flesh. He feathered his thumb over Naruto's cheek.

"I'll be as careful as I can."

Naruto placed his own hand against Sasuke's, giving a shaky exhale.

"I can't handle losing you, so..."

Sasuke's bravado failed him for the moment. A voice deep down in his mind urged him to tell Naruto that he felt the same. He had only met Naruto months ago. Since when did he bond so quickly? He was leaning on Naruto a little bit more than he was comfortable with.

"I know we're young and all, and this situation is sort of crazy. Sasuke, do you think we can last?"

Sasuke bit his lip in thought before answering. He couldn't answer that question any better than Naruto could, and he wasn't one to give a fluff answer. Naruto was right. They were just kids.

"I hope so, for both of our sakes."

Naruto didn't reply, kissing the Uchiha softly and leisurely. This wasn't where Sasuke saw this interaction going. To be honest, he considered himself fortunate to still have an unbruised face. Months down the line, would they still be lovers? Years? Perhaps they were too young to be thinking that far down the line, but still, he wanted to imagine that he'd be staying by Naruto's side for a very long time.

* * *

Hope you all like. Don't forget to review! -points down-

Thank you, everyone, for reading. :)


	24. Chapter 22

_"Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me. I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed."_

Sasuke did his best to tune Naruto out as he ventured through his anatomy homework. Despite all of his protests, he had become accustomed to the sound of Naruto's slightly off-pitch singing filling his room. Generally, it annoyed him. Yet his home was no longer empty, and the sometimes cacophonous singing reminded him that Naruto was never far. At times, that comfort was worth the assault to his eardrums.

_"She was lookin' kinda dumb..."_

Sasuke sighed.

"Would you stop singing so loudly?"

The blond threw his hands up dramatically in response.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I relate to this song on a very personal level!"

"Oh really?" Sasuke inquired.

Yet it was more than obvious that he didn't care to know.

"You know that line... 'My world's on fire, how 'bout yours? That's the way I like it, and I'll never get bored.'?"

The Uchiha grunted, "Yes. I've been forced to listen to that song a few times more than I'd like."

Ah yes, his grade school days. Though the song was already rather outdated at the time, a few insistent friends found it their mission to educate Sasuke.

Naruto grinned, pointing his thumb to his chest, "Well that's just me, baby. It's how I roll. Take life by the balls!"

Sasuke arched a brow before responding.

"I think that lyric relates to me more than it relates to you."

Naruto crinkled his nose and squinted.

"Eh?"

Sasuke snickered.

"Most of my family and my old house are now made of carbon."

Naruto would have thought that Sasuke might have sounded bitter while making that statement, but there was no trace of such. The blond pointed frantically, whooping in amusement.

"You did not just make that joke!"

He'd never heard Sasuke joke about his past. Whenever the subject was approached, the teen always appeared sullen and morose.

"Shit..." Sasuke grumbled. "Your horrible sense of humor is finally wearing off on me."

Naruto cackled triumphantly.

"I knew I'd win you over eventually. Bring on the hobo and dead parents jokes!"

Sasuke emitted a defeated groan.

"Yeah, you finally recruited me. So what?"

Naruto leaned back to gloat. Sasuke had been a stubborn one.

"Heh. It took you long enough, orphan boy. But then again, you always _were_ very slow to keep up with my greatness," Naruto responded with an arrogant bob of the head.

Sasuke raised his brows while playfully shoving Naruto back.

"I am going to form an orphan club, and you're not invited," Sasuke scoffed as he leaned back and gave Naruto a rather snobbish one over.

Naruto placed his hands on his waist and pouted.

"Hey! That's not a definite. I could qualify!"

"Yeah, what happened to your parents, anyway?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Beats me."

The song was still playing in the background. Sasuke took a seat next to Naruto before continuing.

"Does that upset you?"

Naruto paused to consider his answer.

"Not really, except that it would be nice to meet them some day. I think I might look for them once I'm in a better place."

The conversation was taking a step towards the serious, although Sasuke and Naruto were comfortable enough around each other now to have conversations that tread middle ground.

"Well..." Sasuke sighed. "Then I suppose you can be an honorary member of my orphan club, but you get the crappy nametag."

The former vagrant crossed his arms and huffed.

"Like I care about your stupid orphan club, Oliver."

"You're not getting the complimentary lemonade and cookies either."

Naruto's eyes widened as he gestured wildly.

"Woah, man. Just woah. You have crossed the line."

The Uchiha smirked.

"Looks like bums get really passionate about their food."

The tanner male ignored Sasuke's statement, apparently on his own tangent.

"I mean if that line were a criminal in the business with his so-called best friend, he'd be in prison for life. That line would be so crossed it wouldn't even know what to do with itself, just sitting there all existential like, 'What's the point of being a line if people are always crossing me? Why do I even exist?'"

"Existential? I didn't know you had that broad of a vocabulary."

Naruto huffed, "Contrary to your belief, I'm not a _total_ dunce. Your elitist, bourgeoisie vocabulary is the antithesis of...uh...good."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Now you're just trying too hard."

"So what are you saying?" Naruto asked with a frown. "I'm a second class member of your supersecret orphan club? Damn, and I was looking forward to the upcoming 'bring your parents' support night. Oh _wait_..."

"Don't you have a park bench you should be sleeping on right now?"

"Oh, clever clever. But have you ever even _seen_ an orphanage? If anything, I should be the damned president."

The Uchiha arched a brow.

"You're saying you lived in one? In California?"

"Sure did. Until I was about four anyway."

Sasuke regarded the other cynically.

"Tch. That's impossible. There are no orphanages in the U.S."

"Bullshit!"

Sasuke didn't know what he was talking about. He'd never even been near this sort of thing. Such a know-it-all…

"There aren't," Sasuke insisted. "You might be remembering a group home or something."

Naruto crossed his arms and shook his head stubbornly.

"Nuh uh. I'm sure I was in an orphanage. They told me!"

Sasuke found himself wondering who "they" were but decided not to press it.

"No, you weren't. I was researching it for a school project yesterday."

The blond perched his chin on his hand, narrowing his eyes at his new opponent.

"Fine. Let's see here."

Naruto purposefully whisked himself behind Sasuke's computer, pulling up a tab containing Sasuke's search history.

"What are you doing?"

Honestly, Sasuke was surprised that Naruto even knew how to find search history. Then again, he'd been using Sasuke's computer frequently in the past weeks. Sasuke was shocked when Naruto asked him the other day when he'd last defragged his harddrive.

"Well, you said you were just researching it, right? The link should be somewhere in here..."

Sasuke shook his head, walking up behind Naruto's shoulder. He didn't like Naruto messing around there...

"This is completely unnecessary."

Naruto ignored Sasuke, perusing the list in detail.

"Just let me do it. I know what page it was on," Sasuke added, his face closer to the screen now.

"Calm your tits, Sasuke. I'll find it soon enough."

He kept scrolling... And scrolling... And _scrolling_...

"Hey! Why are you going so far back? I said it was yesterday, you moron."

Sasuke was beginning to sound awfully defensive. Why the urgency? A fox-like grin ate up Naruto's lower face. Sasuke glared back at the other, and there was a moment of shared understanding.

Wasting no time, Sasuke shoved the swivelling chair out from his desk, hurriedly forcing himself in to click the "delete search history" button. He was tragically intercepted by his adversary, who frantically shoved Sasuke aside to get a glimpse of whatever juicy material he could find. The Uchiha shoved Naruto out of the way, the blond stumbling before he darted back to elbow Sasuke in the gut. In the instant it took Sasuke to cough and correct himself, Naruto's telltale cackle informed him that he was too late.

"'How to have anal sex'? Hah! I thought it was a little early for this, but hey, if you're so gung ho on it..."

"Don't get full of yourself. I was just curious," Sasuke shot back.

Naruto could hardly hear Sasuke over his own laughter.

Sasuke grumbled, "Happy now? Alright, you've had your fun..."

Naruto held his palm out to silence Sasuke.

"Wait, wait! There's more!"

"No." Sasuke snapped, roughly jerking Naruto out of the way. "As dumb as you are with technology, I wouldn't expect you to grasp this, but it's an unspoken rule between males that one man is never to look at another man's browser history."

"Are you..."

Naruto pointed at Sasuke repetitively and frantically.

"Are you blushing?!"

Damnit, his cheeks _did_ feel a little warm. Was he really blushing over something so stupid? He had his pale skin to thank for making it so apparent. He punitively whacked Naruto upside the head, finding that this communicated his true sentiments more efficiently than any words could.

"Ow! That actually hurt!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head , hoping to distract himself from the sting.

"That was the idea, jackass."

Naruto pursed his lips, leaning into Sasuke. He tried not to find this situation as endearing as he was tempted to.

"C'mon, Sasuke. There's no reason to be so defensive."

The paler male frowned, fidgeting with his thumbs and taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

The younger mumbled, "I'm not. How else am I supposed to find out these things?"

The blond smirked at Sasuke, blatantly looking him up and down as he bit his lip. He plunked himself down next to Sasuke, wrapping his arm around his shoulders.

"Given I'm your first lover of the _male_ persuasion, I couldn't expect you to be too experienced. But I could always give you a lesson."

He didn't like being the inexperienced one in this relationship. The position didn't suit him. Of course Naruto had to act like he had everything figured out, like he knew so much more than Sasuke did. And who knows, maybe he did? They really hadn't discussed their past sex lives in any detail.

"Does this mean you've actually had sex with a guy?"

When Sasuke glanced at Naruto, their noses nearly touched. Naruto's suave demeanor wavered as he answered hesitantly, "I guess a little..."

The Uchiha smirked, relieved to be taking the offensive now.

"A little? What's that supposed to mean?"

The spunky teen stammered, "I mean...not _exactly_..."

Sasuke crossed his arms, a snarky expression on his face.

"Not exactly? Was this a fifty-fifty fuck or something?"

Sasuke leaned forward, and Naruto backed off as his insecurities manifested themselves. Somehow Sasuke seemed so intimidating now, but Naruto kept his arm wrapped around Sasuke.

"Did you or didn't you?" Sasuke asked deliberately.

Darting blue irises fell towards the floor. Was that asshole really gonna make him say it?

"I guess not."

Sasuke cocked his head.

"Hn. Guess you're not as experienced as you'd like me to believe."

The other pouted back.

"I'm more experienced than _you_."

The Uchiha smirked, not unsettled by the fact that their lips nearly brushed as they faced each other. Despite his patronizing response, Sasuke was genuinely glad that Naruto was still a virgin. He didn't like the idea of Naruto being more experienced than him. In some odd way, it slighted his pride. But more than that, the idea of someone else doing this with Naruto made him jealous. He hated the idea of someone else getting so close to the blond. And he was glad that if things were to progress to that point, he would be Naruto's first.

"What did you do? Suck his dick?"

Naruto's brows crinkled. How could Sasuke be so blunt when he talked about this sort of thing? Was Naruto the one blushing now?

"Yeah."

"You could've just said that," Sasuke sighed.

Naruto's eyes challenged Sasuke.

"So then, what have you done?"

The left corners of Sasuke's lip rose.

"You sure you want to hear this? Hetero-love doesn't make you squeamish, does it?"

Naruto puffed out his chest, like a child facing the dark.

"Feh. Don't be ridiculous, bastard."

"I've gone down on a girl a few times, and I've had a few go down on me. Fingering too and all that, obviously."

Naruto grunted. Oh, _obviously_, he says. How could he be so blunt about such a thing? Suddenly, he felt as though their situations had been reversed. He'd only ever fooled around with one person, but Sasuke...

Still, Naruto _did_ have more experience with the male gender. At least he came out ahead in those regards. And Sasuke was still a virgin. Similarly, this came as a relief.

"So, what about this 'lesson' you wanted to teach me?"

Sasuke's onyx eyes were just inches from Naruto's flushed forehead, the sophomore's height barely surpassing his own. He smirked at Naruto, provoking him. Flustered, Naruto averted his eyes to escape Sasuke's steady stare.

The Uchiha sighed, a mixture of impatience and benevolent teasing.

"Luckily for you, I learn best by doing."

Sasuke peppered a few kisses down Naruto's jawline as the blond tilted his head to allow him access.

"I don't mind that, babe," Naruto purred.

Sasuke's ministrations did not disrupt, but he privately took note of the new nickname. It was an unfamiliar departure from the typical "smartass" or "bastard." It almost felt strange to be called that by another male. All the same, he didn't mind it. After all, they _were_ boyfriends. …Weren't they? Sasuke supposed this came with the territory.

Sasuke jerked Naruto in closer by his shirt collar, fastening their mouths together as their tongues leisurely swirled around each other. One pale hand rested a hand's length above Naruto's knee, massaging the meat towards Naruto's inner thigh. Itachi had a late class today, so they at least had a couple more hours to themselves. Sasuke decided that they might as well take advantage of it. He'd noticed himself checking Naruto out at least several times today.

Naruto moaned softly, gently grasping at the tensed muscles of Sasuke's forearm. He was already feeling a warm flush migrate to his crotch, Sasuke's aggression taking him by surprise. It had been days since Sasuke and he had done anything other than a quick kiss. Now that he had gotten a taste of sex with Sasuke, his body seemed to demand it. Needily, Naruto got up on his knees and led Sasuke's hand under his shirt, the smooth palm resting on Naruto's bare abdomen. Sasuke smirked. Someone was needy.

Sasuke's mind raced ahead of him, forcing him to visualize himself stripping off Naruto's pants, going even farther... He'd read that often, guys stuck to their same roles during sex, but there was also something known as a "switch." He knew that he wanted to be inside Naruto. He wanted to own his lover in the most intimate way, to fill him until he leaked. But would he allow himself to be filled?

Perhaps it was too early to be thinking about this. He supposed that this would be the sort of thing he'd figure out as their relationship advanced. Sasuke dipped his pointer finger underneath Naruto's waistband, pulling Naruto closer to him as he quickly peaked down the opening between Naruto's stomach and the clothing. Thick, tan fingers raked through Sasuke's feathery locks, latching onto the hair below his ears and at the nape of his neck.

Sasuke smirked as he kissed over dark hickeys he'd placed just several days ago. The last time they had done anything significant, Naruto had given Sasuke one of the best blow jobs of his life. The closest Sasuke could get to Naruto was giving him a handjob through his pajama pants. He hoped that whatever reservations Naruto had were placated. Black irises reassured Naruto as he quickly undid Naruto's jean button.

Naruto's breath hitched, and he quickly remembered every reservation he'd had the only other time Sasuke had ever tried to remove his pants. He felt a little better about things, given that Sasuke had already gone so far with Naruto and still was every bit as enthusiastic after having a few days to think on it. Still, a part of him still wondered if this would be a wakeup call for Sasuke. Then he'd realize his mistake.

He wanted to grab Sasuke's hand, to ask him if he was really sure he wanted this. Yet his pride wouldn't allow it. After all, he'd basically _asked_ for this. Given their conversation before things had taken such a turn and the competitive nature of their relationship, Naruto already felt like he needed to prove himself to be more experienced and more dominant. Showing hesitance would be a defeat.

His body had paused though, and his panting breath was held. Naruto's body went stiff. This occurred without his knowledge, and Sasuke ceased his ministrations to look up at Naruto questioningly before continuing. Sasuke didn't speak, but Naruto knew Sasuke well enough to know what he was asking. Naruto's mouth felt dry, and he bit his lip. He nodded at Sasuke, an unspoken consent.

Distracting the smaller of the two from his nervousness, Sasuke bit Naruto's earlobe and tugged at it lustfully as he unzipped Naruto's pants. He slid them down along with his boxers, the blond gasping at the sudden feel of the cool air on his heated personals. Naruto's cock bounced as it cleared its confines, ruddy and half erect.

From his first day in Sasuke's home, Naruto could change or even shower in front of Sasuke without batting an eye. Thus, it was odd that Naruto's blush was so dark when Sasuke lightly shadowed his index finger from the base of his cock to its tip. Naruto felt exposed, as if he were being examined. There was no hiding from Sasuke now.

Sasuke, however, appeared anything but dissuaded. He'd been patient, or at least he had tried to be. Naruto's cock was decidedly plumper than his own, with a slightly ruddier shade. However, it was shorter as well. Sasuke firmly grasped Naruto's dick in his hand, flattening his tongue against its tip. Naruto twitched at the first contact, the warm moisture of Sasuke's mouth drawing a shudder from him.

This was a first for Sasuke. However, he was confident that he could figure it out. He knew what he liked when he had been sucked off. Still, would it feel different for Naruto? He knew everyone had their own preferences, and his own were the only ones he had to go by.

He tried to remember what Naruto had done for him, and his memory was not hazy. If anything, this would be indicative of what Naruto liked. He had rather deliberately committed almost every movement to memory. He knew that just the images alone would be enough to masturbate to for weeks.

"So..."

Naruto was whimpering softly, perhaps unconsciously. It was obvious how greedy he was, that he wanted more. Sasuke stared back up at him aggressively.

"You said you wanted to teach me a lesson. C'mon, teach me how a gay man sucks cock."

Naruto was sweating now, quite literally. He felt the perspiration build up by his temples, chest, and forehead, his bangs beginning to stick to it uncomfortably. His breath was coming shallow and quick now, and his heart sounded like a drum.

"Ahh..."

Was he really so excited over just a grab and a lick? It was embarrassing. What was he, twelve? But he couldn't help it. Sasuke spoke so bluntly, and Naruto always was a sucker for dirty talk. The image of the stern and arrogant Sasuke, his smirking mouth inches from his manhood... He couldn't believe it was happening, and it was almost painful. Wait, Sasuke had asked him something. Well, asked him _for_ something. What had he just said? He was so horny his brain apparently had a total shutdown. Right, _that's_ what he wanted...

Naruto held one side of Sasuke's face in his palm, lacing his fingers into his thick hair.

"Take your tongue and move...uh..."

Sasuke arched a brow up at Naruto, who seemed to be short on words. He didn't seem to be very good with dirty talk... Well, that remained to be seen, actually. Sasuke wondered if a little provocation would loosen his tongue.

"Is that the best you can do? Are you afraid to say the word?"

Naruto blushed.

"Of course not!"

Sasuke had a lot of gall. How could he still manage to be the one coming out on top when Naruto was supposed to be the one instructing him? Of course Sasuke would find a way to make that the case. Sasuke could never stand being in a submissive position, to beg or be protected. It annoyed Naruto. No one could be like that all the time. He took a second to compose himself.

"Listen, Uchiha. I'm going to tell you what you're going to do."

Naruto's voice was low and husky when he answered, his hands roughly gripping at Sasuke's hair. Sasuke smirked, his body at attention. This was more like it.

"Lick me from base to tip, but do it slow. Flatten and relax your tongue."

Sasuke nodded, obediently sliding his tongue up Naruto's dick, feeling every indentation and slightest vein along the way. He allowed the front of his teeth to drag against the flesh. Naruto was still not fully hard, and Sasuke lightly nipped at the looser skin along Naruto's length from time to time. This was something that Sasuke had always enjoyed.

"Does this feel good?"

When Sasuke did this, Naruto moaned a little more loudly than he had intended. It caused the slightest amount of pain, but the contrast it offered was well worth it. He felt himself rise, staring down at Sasuke with eyes half-lidded with lust.

"Yes... Fuck, Sasuke..."

Sasuke took about a third of Naruto into his mouth, keeping his mouth hollow to tease the other. He let the flesh slick against his bottom lip, tracing his tongue along the ridges at the head of Naruto's cock. He took the entire head into his mouth, sucking lightly as he cupped Naruto's balls in his head.

"That's...good, Sasu. Use your tongue like a suction... Move the back of it against the roof of your mouth."

Sasuke didn't need to be told twice. Was that concept really so different from giving a hickey? He felt Naruto's erection twitch in the warmth of his mouth. Sasuke's head bobbed shallowly in rhythm with his tongue, which moved back in his mouth as his head pulled away and forward as it pulled in. He gently shifted the weight of Naruto's sack from pinky to index finger, rubbing the hardened tissue occasionally.

"Shit..." Naruto panted. "S'uke, are you sure you've never done this before?"

There was a slight chuckle at the end of Naruto's words. If his mouth weren't so busy at the moment, Sasuke would've given an appropriately pithy response. Naruto's clammy fingers were fumbling with Sasuke's tresses, and he was no longer able to resist the temptation to thrust into Sasuke's mouth. Sable brows knit as Sasuke took the intruding length farther in, pumping his head more enthusiastically now. Naruto's toes curled tightly into themselves as he shallowly fucked Sasuke's mouth.

Their movements became more frenzied as Naruto reached his peak, Sasuke's eyes clenching shut as Naruto's length pounded into his throat. He breathed through his nose, panting as he pleasured.

"S-'Suke, I'm gonna cum..."

This was Sasuke's cue. He gave Naruto's member several hard sucks, a loud moan ripping from Naruto's throat. Of course, Sasuke should have known that Naruto would be a noisy lover. Naruto shot into Sasuke's throat, and although Sasuke had known what to expect, it still took him off guard. He waited for several spurts of diminishing intensity, feeling Naruto shudder in front of him.

So, this is what it was like to be on the other end. He always suspected that this final part was the shit end of the bargain, something girls only did to please him. He found that it was not entirely unpleasant. It made him feel owned, dominated... Naruto's spunk was salty, but a little sweet as well. Must've been all that candy he liked to eat. Sasuke swallowed through his heavy breathing, finding his hardening length to be uncomfortably restricted.

Sasuke didn't realize how dazed he had become until Naruto jerked him upwards, hungrily kissing him as he palmed Sasuke's erection through his jeans.

"Not bad, Sasuke. I'm eager for your next lesson."

Satisfaction laced the other's voice as he responded, "Tch. You looked like I was doing a little better than 'not bad.'"

Cupping the side of Sasuke's face with his palm, Naruto smiled crookedly as Sasuke instinctively pressed against it. His calloused thumb stroked over Sasuke's soft temple. He had noticed long ago that Sasuke had very soft and pale skin, in certain places almost porcelain. The notable exception was his palms, which were covered in callouses. Apparently, Sasuke had no aversion to working with his hands. Naruto liked that.

Of course, Naruto had no choice but to develop tough skin over most of his body. They protected him from the elements, which, though mild in California, still could present a challenge. The two of them contrasted keenly, sunkissed honey against satin cream.

"Shut up, Sasuke."

Sasuke smirked, but his bravado soon failed him as Naruto palmed his erection through his jeans. His brows tensed, and he accidentally emitted a nearly indistinguishable "nn." Naruto calmly unbuttoned and unzipped Sasuke's jeans, his cock rising to half-mast. Naruto frowned as he looked downward.

"What?" Sasuke asked, obviously annoyed.

"It's just... I've been wondering this since the first time I saw your dick, but I didn't think it was the right time to say something."

Sasuke sighed. He didn't like where this was going.

"You say that like now is a good time. What is it now?"

"Some natural law is definitely being defied right now."

Sasuke arched a brow, his face much more composed than his husky voice, "What are you yammering on about?"

"It's just..."

Naruto gestured with his hands idly before continuing, "How do you fit that..." He pointed to Sasuke's half-erect and hefty member. "In those?"

He motioned to Sasuke's snugly fitting jeans. Sasuke deadpanned, recalling Naruto's comment the first time he tried on Sasuke's clothing. "You must be packing an acorn" were his words, or something of the sort. Apparently he had redeemed himself, but it came as no surprise.

"Generally you pull up the pants, zip, and button."

Naruto shook his head, unwilling to believe.

"No, it's impossible. What do you do? Tuck?"

Naruto rubbed his crotch. Sympathy pains.

"God, the rashes must be horrible."

Sasuke's mouth hung partially agape, suddenly feeling a little odd standing there with his dick whipped out. What was wrong with Naruto, anyway? Though should he really be surprised? Weirdo.

"Hm..."

Naruto cocked his head.

"Whatcha thinkin'?"

The other crossed his arms.

He answered dryly, "Just wondering if it's even possible to kill the mood faster than this."


	25. Chapter 23

How'd he manage this one again? Naruto scratched the back of his head, grinning as his cheeks flushed red.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't very sexy, was it?"

Sasuke simply stared back, believing that no words were necessary.

"I mean, you're very well-endowed. Shouldn't that be a good thing to mention at a time like this?"

Sasuke grunted, rolling his eyes.

"C'mon, give me another chance," Naruto weedled, smiling at Sasuke. "You can't act like you're not still aroused," Naruto motioned downward with a grin.

Sasuke couldn't have denied the claim if he tried, his most sensitive organ proudly giving him away. He was standing as Naruto lay on the bed, offering him a perfect view. He still managed to keep his stare every bit as condescending at it had been before... That is, until Naruto boldly grasped Sasuke's cock, swirling his tongue around the tip quickly.

He hadn't seen it coming, his fingers gripping and pulling at Naruto's hair reflexively.

"Nnn..."

A needy moan was born without Sasuke's permission and much to his dismay. Naruto had sucked him off once before, but it still felt so new to him. He was still not accustomed to the idea of another man, of Naruto specifically, tending to him in such a way. It still made him shiver, made him stare down at the person between his legs and feel the temperature in the room rise just slightly. Naruto smirked at Sasuke's reaction, gloating in his victory.

"Tch," Sasuke scoffed as he averted his eyes. "Don't get cocky. You're still a moron."

He could've contained himself if he'd had a little warning. He wasn't easily aroused, but as Naruto had pointed out, he was already a little hard, and thus quite sensitive.

Naruto took Sasuke's entire head into his mouth, looking up directly into Sasuke's eyes as he did so. Sasuke looked down, determined to hold Naruto's lustful stare. But his palms were sweating, and his heart was beating erratically. Naruto began to suck, intermittently lapping at Sasuke's slit as he did so. Sasuke's grip on Naruto's locks tightened, and his toes curled.

Naruto would have teased Sasuke for his escalating arousal, especially after his response to Naruto's sexual faux pas. But his mouth was rather busy at the moment. He allowed his eyes to do the work for him, goading Sasuke on, victorious in the other's partial submission. It provoked Sasuke, irritated that Naruto had forced his body to rebel against him. Still, he wasn't quite irritated enough to tell him to stop. No, he wanted more, and quickly.

Naruto lowered his mouth several inches, now sucking at both the head and a palm's width of Sasuke's shaft. Slowly, painfully slowly, he sucked, bobbing his head back and forth. Sasuke grunted, holding the hair at the crown of Naruto's head and forcing his head in while shallowly thrusting into Naruto's mouth.

Naruto considered backing off just to mess with his bossy lover. Would he really let Sasuke control him like this? Still, if he could make more of those noises come from Sasuke, it would be well worth it. He took in as much as he could, filling his mouth with Sasuke's hardened cock. He pumped fast and hard, and Sasuke didn't bother to refrain the loud moan he had just released. To hear Sasuke so unfettered... Naruto felt goosebumps prickle his chest and upper arms, his own need rising.

Sasuke's dick was hardening in his mouth now, and he tasted a very small bit of salty precum. Sasuke's noises drove him on, and he wondered exactly how loud he could get the ordinarily soundless Uchiha to become.

"Fuck, Naruto... Feels _amazing_."

Naruto would have been panting just like Sasuke was if he currently had the ability. He was giving Sasuke just what he wanted. Sasuke wondered if he would become addicted to this. He had only had two rounds. He wanted five, ten, fifty... Could he ever get tired of this? He'd had blowjobs before, yes. But not from Naruto.

Meanwhile, Naruto shifted, his newly forming erection becoming rather troublesome as his body pressed into the sheets. He bent one knee upward, trying to relieve some of the offending pressure. He knew just how to relieve himself.

"Naru, I'm gonna..."

Naruto knew just how this sentence would end. He forced his head back, Sasuke's surprise dulling his reflexes. A wet smack filled the room as Sasuke's painfully red erection left Naruto's mouth.

"Naruto, you..." Sasuke growled, staring at Naruto angrily.

What was Naruto trying to do exactly? Who did he think he was, stringing him along like this? But Naruto quickly interrupted him.

"Shut up."

Licking his hand, Naruto shuffled his body as he grabbed Sasuke's shirt. He grabbed the other's shirt commandingly, forcing him on top of Naruto as Naruto lay on his back. The sheets smelled of Sasuke's detergent, a warm ray of sun falling on Naruto's forehead and the back of Sasuke's neck. Sasuke gasped as he felt their two erections slide together, a feeling altogether unfamiliar to him. Naruto kissed Sasuke deeply, possessively as he forced Sasuke's body to bend. He immediately grabbed both of their cocks in his right hand, pumping them together simultaneously.

For just an instant, Sasuke froze, shocked at the sensation of another man's cock against his own. This idea had never occurred to him. The act was erotic in a way that transcended its tactile aspect. Naruto mewled hungrily, his neglected length finally finding fulfillment as it pressed against Sasuke's. Their heated, swollen lengths were bound together now as Naruto's hand quickened.

Sasuke's shock quickly subsided, replaced by raging arousal. He'd been close to climax even before this, so it took everything in him not to cum on the spot. Now, wouldn't that have been embarrassing... He instead channeled his excitement into a heated kiss, teeth bumping briefly and lightly as their mouths savagely wrestled for dominance.

Naruto bit Sasuke's lip hard, causing it to throb as he pulled outward. Sasuke couldn't lose it... Not yet... He responded by breaking the kiss, biting the skin at the crook of Naruto's neck and sucking as hard as he could. Naruto groaned sensually, cramming his foot into the sheets in a futile attempt to mask his enthusiasm. Yes, this bold purple mark would be fully visible, whether Naruto was clothed or not. Sasuke wanted it that way. He would _force_ Naruto to remember.

Naruto bit Sasuke's earlobe, tugging it and running his tongue up the shell of his ear. His hand created a loud shlick as it moved up and down quickly, and Sasuke felt his balls harden painfully.

"N-Naruto, at this rate..." he panted. "I can't..."

"I know, babe," Naruto was now panting every bit as hard as Sasuke was, a mixture of exertion and bliss. "Hold out for me."

He'd try. God, he'd try. But he could make no promises. Sasuke sucked his pointer finger, forcing his hand between Naruto's raised ass and the sheets, tracing the moist digit down Naruto's crack. They'd never done something like this before. How would Naruto react?

It was Naruto who gasped this time around, shocked as Sasuke's finger traveled so wantonly. Even as amazing as it felt, and as horny as he was at the moment, a part of him feared that this was not what Sasuke wanted, that Sasuke was doing this just to please him. But he'd come to trust Sasuke, knowing that the man wasn't one to operate out of pity or obligation. Naruto had been patient, but it would be a bald-faced lie if he were to say he hadn't dreamed this, fantasized this, masturbated to this many more times than Sasuke could ever guess.

"Oh god, Sasuke..." he moaned.

A part of Sasuke couldn't believe he was actually doing this. He'd never touched this part on someone else before. But the idea of penetrating Naruto, even if ever so slightly, satisfied the dominant part of him profoundly. He was once again leaving his comfort zone, the realm of his experience. Perhaps that was what enthralled him. He was a confident man. Whatever he didn't already know now, he was sure to learn.

Naruto held his breath as Sasuke's finger circled his pucker, the muscles around it clenching involuntarily. Naruto's hand slowed just temporarily, Sasuke's advance taking him completely off guard. Slowly, Sasuke pushed into Naruto's ass just past his finger's first joint. Naruto clenched his teeth, his face flushing a deep red. Only now did he realize that he had stopped breathing, forcing himself to take in deep pants.

"You're so fucking tight."

He was, in truth, surprised at how snug Naruto's entrance was when compared to female anatomy. It didn't leave much room, so he pumped slowly, loving the other squirming beneath him. Now Naruto was leaking, and Sasuke could swear he felt it coat him, lubricate Naruto's frantically pumping hand. Naruto pushed his ass down into Sasuke's finger, moaning shamelessly as he revelled in the sensation of being filled.

"Greedy, are we?" Sasuke smirked, unable to look entirely composed as he used every bit of concentration to stave off orgasm.

"Fuck...you..." Naruto spoke, but just barely. "Sasuke, I'm close... Shit..."

Sasuke pushed his finger in farther, almost hitting his second joint now.

"Do it."

Naruto's chin strained up as his body arched, his reddened neck facing the ceiling as he shouted. Naruto's ass clenched down around Sasuke's finger, forcing it out as warm ejaculate spurted onto their groins, thighs, stomachs, and heated organs. Sasuke's elbows shook as they barely suspended him above Naruto, his body finally hitting the long-awaited climax.

It was even more satisfying than his last time, which was saying a lot. His first time with Naruto was new. It felt adventurous and even a little rebellious. This felt the same way, though it had the added element of delayed (painfully delayed) gratification. His entire body tensed as his body was filled with an undeniable heat, several smaller spurts following his initial release. All the while, he kept his eyes open, taking in Naruto's every expression as he finally came undone, intent on memorizing it thoroughly.

Sasuke's arms gave way, his body abruptly falling on its side, next to Naruto. He closed his eyes for a moment, finding that the deprivation of other senses allowed him to more deeply appreciate the euphoric buzz tingling through his body, hazing his nerves from his forehead to his feet.

They lay there silently for several seconds, Sasuke's head lopping onto Naruto's shoulder and resting there. Naruto's pinky wandered to Sasuke's hand, latching his second and third fingers loosely. Naruto turned to Sasuke slowly, and Sasuke caught Naruto's gaze. They stared at each other for some time, Naruto smiling warmly and Sasuke unconsciously biting his lip.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto's voice was wistful as the effects of his orgasm ebbed.

"Hm?"

Naruto's brows knit.

"You were saying...before... That there had been a few others."

"Yes?"

Naruto's eyes fell away now, and Naruto looked as though he was searching for words, "Did they mean anything to you?"

Sasuke sighed. He wondered if Naruto thought that Sasuke viewed their own relationship just as dismissively as he had viewed the females he'd encountered. It was almost endearing how insecure Naruto could be at times.

"For the most part, no. One did."

Naruto frowned, a mixture of relief and jealousy.

"How long did you go out for?"

Sasuke felt a little out of sorts, resting on Naruto's shoulder as his bronzed fingers pet him softly. However, he didn't necessarily mind it. He allowed his weight to shift onto Naruto, glancing idly at the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"About nine months. Her name was Sakura."

Naruto pursed his lips. He honestly hadn't expected it to have lasted this long, given that it must have started when Sasuke was either in middle school or just barely in high school. Most young relationships these days were well off if they even reached a month.

"How'd it end?"

He wondered if he was getting too pushy, which he knew could cause Sasuke to clam up in an instant. Yet Sasuke supposed that these were things lovers should know about each other. It was a fair question.

"She was demanding and a little clingy. I wasn't up for it, especially after everything that happened."

He chose to leave most of the details out. Sasuke didn't find them important. He could wrack up as many as five missed calls from Sakura in a two hour period. He wasn't exactly a long-winded sort of person, so he'd say just enough.

"Ah..."

Would he push Sasuke away too? Naruto knew he could become a little clingy at times. It was a personality trait which he'd been made well aware of. But how else could he keep people around? How else could he ensure that he wouldn't be abandoned, wouldn't be shuffled from one begrudging participant in his life to the next? Sasuke and he had only been dating for a few weeks, and they'd only known each other for a few months. Would Sasuke leave him too?

"What's wrong?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Did you love her?"

Sasuke's body tensed. This question was...awfully personal, and he didn't know if he was even capable of a proper answer. He quickly passed it off with a wry arch of the brow.

"Why, jealous?"

But the other merely pouted.

Sasuke sighed before adding, "I don't know. I care about her, if that answers your question."

Naruto picked up on Sasuke's semantics in an instant. So, he still cared about her. Did he still love her? Did he ever love her? He didn't want to admit how envious he felt. And could Naruto really give Sasuke everything a woman could? He frowned. Similarly, Sasuke knew jealousy when he saw it.

"Don't worry. We hardly even talk anymore."

A sour look was shot in Sasuke's direction.

"Who says I was worried, bastard?"

Sasuke merely rolled his eyes at Naruto, a rather obvious gesture given how starkly his dark irises contrasted with white.

"And what about that boyfriend you had? How long had you been dating?"

Apparently, this had been Naruto's only other romantic interest. He at least wanted to know about the guy, wanted to know what he'd meant to Naruto.

"About two months," Naruto answered, feeling embarrassed about his relationship's brevity after hearing that Sasuke's relationship with Sakura had lasted nine months. He almost felt a need to defend himself as he continued, "But we only broke up because I ran away. I didn't tell him; I just left. He probably hates my guts now."

His head lopped downward, and Sasuke's eyes returned to Naruto's face. Did Naruto still think about this guy? Who was he? What kind of man was he?

"Anyone with half a brain would realize that for you to take off like that, you must have had a reason."

Naruto nodded silently.

"Do you miss him?"

The question was bold, and Sasuke almost regretted asking. Naruto's hand rested heavily on his shoulder.

"Only a little. Maybe just because it was my first time ever...feeling that way. But I never felt for him what I feel for you."

Sasuke didn't want the two of them to end up like that. He didn't want Naruto to dash out of his life, but why would he? Naruto had had every reason to leave, and Sasuke would have probably done the same thing in that situation. Besides, Naruto had promised him that he would stay. As skeptical as Sasuke tended to be, he believed Naruto when he said that.

"What was he like? Did he sing in the car?"

Sasuke's tone was devilish, and they both knew what incident Sasuke was referencing. Naruto knew all about his parents' singing habits. Naruto gave Sasuke's shoulder a light shove.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

A light smile on his face now, Sasuke shook his head.

"No. I'll never forget it."

Naruto noted a tenderness in Sasuke's voice which the other was perhaps unaware of. Naruto smiled down at Sasuke as the unwitting compliment hit his ears, Sasuke quickly averting his eyes.

"He was...very talkative. He was friendly and ate a lot of pizza. He was also very sweet."

Even Naruto called him talkative? He wondered how much of a jabbermouth the man in question must have been. He should've known that Naruto's description would somehow involve food. Sasuke noted that he was nothing like this guy.

"What was Sakura like?"

Naruto wanted to know, yet he dreaded hearing Sasuke's answer. Whatever Sakura had been like, Naruto was an obvious downgrade. For god's sake, Sasuke was dating some homeless guy he met in a soup kitchen. He was dating _him_.

"She was a good person," Sasuke antagonized.

"You're such a dick," the other snapped through laughter.

Sasuke smirked and shook his head, inhaling briefly before getting back on topic.

"She was a brain. She was maternal and sweet, but she nagged a lot. She had a temper that could scare the shit out of people twice her size. I like her, but... I don't think things could ever work out between us."

Naruto nodded slowly.

"I just can't figure out for the life of me why you'd choose me instead," he admitted.

Sapphire irises darted as Naruto realized his mistake. He hadn't meant to say that; the words had fallen from his lips.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Would Sasuke seriously ask this? Why would he even have to question such a thing?

"You know why."

Sasuke watched Naruto's expression, felt the blond's chest sink with a quiet exhale. He knew what Naruto meant; they both did. It was something Naruto quietly harbored, his pride too strong to admit to it Sasuke under other circumstances.

"No, I don't. Tell me."

Silence.

"Your situation has jack shit to do with who you are as a person. It doesn't make you worth any less."

Sasuke was kind for saying this, but he surely didn't mean it, Naruto assessed. It was simple. People compared themselves based on their personality, their appearance, their intelligence, and at the right age, their jobs. That's how someone was determined in or out of someone else's league, and Sasuke was out of his by a mile.

"I know that."

He was silly to need such reassurance. When Sasuke said this, it seemed so obvious to him. Yet it was something he couldn't bring himself to believe.

"I hope so."

The quiet between them was slightly awkward, but Sasuke didn't mind it. Yet he was still the one who broke the silence, because he knew that Naruto hated them.

"We're both pretty weird people, Naruto. I can't claim to know what love is, but I don't think you can pick who you love."

Sasuke shrugged, his off-handed tone contrasting with how vulnerable he felt at the moment. "Love" was a big word. He'd never directly admit to loving Naruto, at least not at this stage. But he wondered what his true feelings really were.

"You just find someone whose weirdness is uncannily compatible with yours, and it works from there."

Naruto grinned, poking at Sasuke's side. Sasuke contorted, doing his best not to laugh. That asshole... It was a ticklish spot.

"So we're two weirdos in love? Indestinably intertwined? Is that what you're saying, Sasuke?"

Sasuke growled. It sounded so moronic when Naruto put it that way. Had he really said something so sappy? Yet given the bounce in Naruto's tone, it would appear that Sasuke's words had achieved their purpose.

"'Indestinably' isn't a word, mor-"

Before Sasuke could finish his sentence, Naruto leaned downwards and kissed him. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke decided that he might as well acquiesce.

* * *

Naruto probably deserves some kind of award for that rebound. Anywho...

Hope everyone liked. Reviews, reviews, reviews... I love them. Thanks, everyone. :)


	26. Chapter 24

Naruto cast Sasuke a concerned look at the sounds coming out of Itachi's bedroom. For the second time since Itachi had contracted the stomach flu two days prior, Itachi was violently sick. Of course it had to be a _stomach_ bug. Sasuke ignored Naruto, _tried_ to ignore the sounds of his brother's suffering. What could he do? Itachi's door was locked during such times, and Sasuke could never get him to open it. As much as it angered him, he had to admit that in Itachi's shoes, he would've done the same.

Still, just as he did every time, he would attempt it. He shut the door behind him and approached Itachi's door, knocking politely. As expected, Itachi didn't answer.

"Itachi, let me in."

No answer.

"Are you dehydrated? I can get you some ice chips."

Again, silence. Sasuke kicked the door, sounding vexed this time around and much closer to his age.

"Itachi, I know when you're not eating! Let me feed you!"

He waited for almost a full minute for a response, finally emitting a soft scoff and walking away. Of course Itachi was too proud to accept his help. Or perhaps Itachi hadn't wanted Sasuke to have to deal with this, to have him worry. He didn't realize that shutting Sasuke out was far worse, the youth's imagination given free reign.

This created a sense of urgency in Sasuke. He had been selling well. Phenomenally well, actually. It was nothing like his first day, since he was now paying for all of his inventory. But he was still making a pretty fat profit, and the wad of cash crammed in the back of his desk was steadily accumulating.

He'd made almost two thousand dollars. Of course, he couldn't make that sort of cash just at Konoha. Every now and again, someone would let him mow their lawn. He'd get a ten dollar bill at best, and he ran a paper route Sunday mornings. He wasn't making enough, and Itachi was getting sicker. So he'd had to branch out. He'd stop by Suna, the local community college, before he came home. He would sell to Deidara's old clients. At least Sasuke had reasonable assurance that they weren't snitches.

Even if they were, Sasuke had enough blackmail information on them to make them think twice. Kabuto saw to that much, and the penalties were much steeper for legal adults such as themselves than they were for Sasuke. Sasuke wondered how Kabuto could know so much about people. What did he know about him? What were Kabuto's sources?

It was fishy, but he wasn't in a position to demand much from Kabuto. If it weren't for him, Sasuke wouldn't have had even a penny tucked away at that desk beyond yard duty and papers. He still relied on Kabuto for his information and supplies, since he had no direct contacts with the county's suppliers. Thus, he couldn't afford to piss the guy off.

Tuesdays' lunch met him hungry and tired. He had brought an apple from home, which would serve as his entire meal. The school lunches were a solid four bucks a piece.

"Sasuke, you're eatin' like a bird," Suigetsu announced, diving into his pizza.

Karin frowned.

"I know! Sasuke, I think you're getting too thin!"

Juugo stopped eating immediately, grabbing Sasuke's shoulder and spine to assess the concern. Sasuke rolled his eyes at them, not appreciating being assessed as if he were cattle. Though Sasuke was trim, it was obvious that he wasn't underweight.

"He's not getting too thin. But Sasuke, you're eating enough at home, aren't you?"

Sasuke hadn't had a real meal at school for almost two weeks.

"Of course. The food here just sucks."

Suigetsu laughed, "Or you just want to keep your figure."

Karin shook her head, addressing the rest of their group.

"You should hear the stuff girls say about you, Sasuke. Because I eat with you, I'm threat number one. I have to deal with all of this craziness for your sake. I hope you're appreciative."

She ended her rant with a flirtatious wink.

"I wouldn't count on it," Sasuke replied.

Suigetsu snorted.

"What is it about you, anyway? Girls aren't all trippin' over themselves to get to me like that. Or even Juugo, and Juugo's the damned linebacker!"

Sasuke sighed, "You act astonished, yet you keep saying that if given the opportunity, you'd fuck me."

Suigetsu huffed.

"Well yeah, I did, but _everyone_?"

Karin rolled her eyes.

"Hey, not like there's a subject matter expert at the table or anything. You know, the only female connection between Sasuke and the rest of Sasuke's fan club," Karin quarreled sarcastically.

"Dammit, bitch... Fine. Why are the females at our school obsessed with Sasuke?"

Karin merely grinned.

"He's the stereotypical bad boy. He's got looks, talent, and a dark past, and he seems indifferent to other people. That's what girls want around here."

Suigetsu rolled his eyes.

"That goes for just about anywhere. There's a reason why it's a cliché."

Sasuke knew that most people at Konoha only knew his clichéd version. He knew that the obsessions were superficial and generic. Honestly, it was difficult to give a damn.

"_Especially_ here," Karin clarified. "Konoha can get a little stuffy. A lot of these girls are sick of behaving. And now that Sasuke's dealing, who knows what will happen?"

The sohpmore growled. He had made it clear that he didn't want to speak about his new "hobby" any more than he absolutely had to. He hated thinking about it, he hated the way his friends made it sound, and worst of all, he hated getting praised for it. Even less appealing was having everyone else know about it.

"Karin..." Sasuke hesitated before asking, "How many people know what I'm doing?"

Karin arched a brow at Sasuke, surprised to hear uncertainty in his tone. This wasn't like Sasuke. It was even more unlike him to ask her a genuine question. But she would be the person to talk to, if anyone. She had all the latest gossip, after all.

"Only the people who would consider buying from you already. I know how to keep my mouth shut when it's called for."

Sasuke frowned, finding that statement questionable.

"So... Would Sakura know?"

Suigetsu stopped eating his food for an instant to catch Sasuke's facial expression, and Juugo tilted his head. Karin did not seem pleased to hear her name.

"Oh, that bitch?"

Sasuke deadpanned.

"Yes, Karin. 'That bitch.'"

Karin rolled her eyes, "You haven't mentioned her in forever. I'd thought you'd finally gotten some sense and realized that she's an obvious downgrade from me."

Sasuke's frustration was evident in his voice as he responded, "Does she know or not?"

It seemed that the whole table, minus Kabuto perhaps, was surprised that Sasuke was expressing concern over Sakura. Sasuke claimed to have shrugged off the breakup neatly, but his friends all had their doubts. Sasuke would go silent at the mention of her name, and so she was gradually regarded as a taboo subject.

Karin took the current reference poorly and with her expected dose of jealousy. She sighed before still giving her honest answer, "Ever since the chair incident, we haven't been on talking terms. But from what I know, I doubt you have anything to worry about."

Right, Sasuke couldn't forget the chair incident. Several months before dating Sasuke, Sakura had gotten into a brutal catfight with Karin over Sasuke's supposed affections. Karin had obviously started it, but Sasuke had mistakenly expected Sakura to back down. It became more than just a catfight as chairs were raised, and Sasuke had to talk some sense into the two.

"Thanks."

Thursday morning was frigid, and Sasuke bundled himself up to keep warm. His long black jacket extended to his tailbone, thick blue jeans keeping out the wind. Sasuke took his seat at the back of the bus, and fortunately no one else had tried to occupy it. That is, until Sakura sat down.

Sasuke couldn't help but stare with questioning eyes. Sakura's hands were clasped neatly in her lap, and her viridian eyes were staring downward. She'd cut her hair recently, and it suited her. They sat next to each other in silence.

"I know what you're doing."

Sasuke's stomach jumped. He hadn't wanted her, of all people, to know. He did his best impression of apathy.

"It's none of your business," Sasuke muttered, justly loudly enough for her to hear.

"It _is_ my business, Sasuke. You're selling to my boyfriend."

And of course, this is how Sakura had to find out. Sasuke didn't even know she _had_ a boyfriend. And she wasn't here to check up on Sasuke, scold him about his future, or offer any words of encouragement. She just wanted him to stop selling shit to her boyfriend, which he supposed was a valid enough desire. Still, the thought was a little depressing.

"You and Gaara are dating?"

He'd noticed the two of them getting closer lately. He saw them walking together in the halls sometimes, usually with others but sometimes alone. For him not to have heard the details, it must've been made official fairly recently. Sakura nodded, and Sasuke tried to ignore feelings of jealousy.

Gaara was a nice enough guy. In fact, when he first approached Sasuke, he had been skeptical. Why would a guy like Gaara want to do stuff like this? Even Sasuke didn't actually use the drugs he sold. Yet it wasn't Sasuke's place to pose questions, nor did he want to.

"You do know that if I stop selling to him, he'll just get it off of someone else, right? There are really two main dealers at this school, and I'm not one of them."

"I'm aware of that, Sasuke," Sakura's voice was harsh. "But I'm asking _you_ not to sell to him, if I mean anything to you at all."

Sasuke sighed. Gaara had been a good customer, but he couldn't do this to Sakura.

"You got it, but I'm going to have to tell him why."

"No complaints there."

Sasuke wished that Sakura would get up and leave now, but she didn't. She just stayed next to him. It was obvious that she was unhappy with him, angry even. But she wouldn't speak.

"What are you doing, Sasuke? You were always such a good student. You used to have your head on straight."

Even Sasuke didn't know what he was doing sometimes. All he knew was that if his pace slacked, his brother might be at risk. So he had to keep going, by whatever means necessary.

"You do what you have to do."

Sakura's voice was angry now, but she tried to keep the volume down so as not to be overheard.

"Who's forcing you to do this? First the fights, now you're selling drugs? And look at the people you hang out with."

Sakura paused, shaking her head.

"Keep your voice down," Sasuke hissed.

When Sakura looked back at Sasuke, her eyes were full of disappointment.

"You've changed. You're not the same guy I fell for."

Her voice was strong and confident. She was looking down on him now, and it angered him. She had no idea what his situation was. But more than that, Sakura's disillusioned eyes plagued him. He wanted to tell her why, to explain himself. But he didn't like to make excuses or give sob stories.

"People change."

He hoped that his dismissiveness would save him from being coerced into explaining himself. Sakura frowned, torn between storming off and keeping her seat. She even braced her arm against the seat cushion, readying to stand.

"Stop this, Sasuke. I don't want you to ruin your life."

Sasuke sighed, leaning back.

"If it makes you feel any better, it's temporary. By spring, I'll be done."

Sakura's eyes returned to his face.

"Why now then?"

Sasuke furrowed his brows. Would he explain himself? Did he even owe her an explanation? Why did he even care what she thought? He didn't want to make excuses

"Itachi's sick, and he lost his insurance. He needs a surgery, so I'm raising money for all of the medical care and our living expenses."

Sakura stared back at the other in shock. She knew that Sasuke wasn't feeding her some cock and bull story to redeem himself. Even as far as he'd fell, it just wasn't in his personality.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Her concern was obvious. She had been fairly familiar with Itachi, and the two had always gotten along well. Sasuke frowned, pretending to notice something fleeting by the opposite window.

"Probably."

Sakura frowned, holding her books tightly to her chest as the bus hit a pothole.

"I'm sorry for not giving you the benefit of the doubt, Sasuke."

The other shrugged.

"It's irrelevant. I _have_ changed."

He was observing a simple fact, not searching for reassurance. Why would she need to apologize for stating the obvious?

"I know."

Sakura was obviously upset, and oddly enough, that actually bothered Sasuke. Sasuke had disappointed quite a few people lately, it seemed. Still, he knew why he was doing the things he did. Whether or not other people understood, he wouldn't waver.

"After I've raised the money, things will be different. But until then, you should keep away from me."

Sakura nodded, her thumb and pointer fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. He heard a quiet sniff beside him. She was crying, softly, and only Sasuke could tell.

As there were many things about this situation that could potentially upset Sakura, Sasuke had no idea what, in particular, it was. Was it because of what he was doing? Was it concern over him? Or was it because he told her to keep away from him? Did she miss him? He had no idea how to reassure her, so he merely rested his hand on her shoulder.

"What if you don't stop?"

Sasuke's eyes caught hers.

"Trust me, I'm hating this. I don't intend to do it any longer than I have to."

Her hair fell out of place as she nodded.

"So keep it together, Sakura. You need to focus on Gaara, not me."

The girl finished drying off her cheeks, eliminating any signs that tears had fallen. Since she had hardly cried, this was easily achieved.

"Tell Itachi that I hope he feels better."

With no other announcement, she stood and walked towards the front of the bus. Sasuke plunked his backpack in the now empty chair, sighing off his frustration and looking out the window. He had business to attend to today, so he hoped that he could forget this conversation as soon as possible.

He met Kabuto in the men's restroom between second and third period. Two hundred bucks. He nonchalantly shuffled it into Kabuto's hand. This was Kabuto's cut: ten percent.

"Holy fuck," he gaped, staring down at the cash.

Sasuke merely grunted in response. It was all business, and they had already achieved what they'd come there for. He took a pace towards the exit.

"So, two grand? How the hell did you manage that?"

"Expansion," Sasuke remarked vaguely.

Kabuto pushed up his glasses, his hand on his hip as he leaned towards Sasuke, analyzing him closely.

"Please explain. I hate to admit this, but you might teach me something."

Sasuke sighed, his reluctance readily apparent.

"Here, you have a few rich kids with too much of their parents' money and not enough options, but that's skimming the cream off the top, so to speak. The real bread and butter is at Suna and the community colleges. They're lower dollar sales, but they come by the dozen."

Kabuto stepped back, smiling at Sasuke. It made him feel like a child being congratulated for tying their shoes.

"Well, color me surprised. Aren't you the businessman now?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Don't patronize me, Kabuto."

He knew that Kabuto liked to manipulate through praise. It wouldn't get past him.

"I'm being serious, Sasuke. How much money did you say you wanted to raise?"

"Five grand. Why?"

Kabuto brought his hand to his chin, pausing for a moment to think.

"So, in just a few weeks, you've made two grand. How much time did you have again to raise the money?"

Kabuto knew there was a time pressure here. He had to know how important it was for Sasuke to raise this money. Was he just _trying_ to get under Sasuke's skin or something?

"What are you getting at?"

Thin lips frowned.

"It's just that... At this rate, aren't things kind of risky for your brother?"

Another attempt at manipulation. Kabuto wasn't bad at it, but he wasn't good enough to fool Sasuke either. The senior had to know by now that fluffing Sasuke's ego wouldn't work, and this was an obvious target. It still didn't change the fact that Kabuto was right.

"Get to the point."

Kabuto seemed miffed by that, as his circuitous weedling was cut off.

"Sasuke, I'm trying to do you a favor."

He sighed.

"Let me hear it then."

"You're never going to raise the money going through other people. I'm in pretty tight with this county's main supplier. He's got three different grow rooms, and he cooks a lot of harder stuff that goes for even more. He has more shit than he knows what to do with, and he asked me if I could send anyone his way."

Sasuke paused for a moment. Couldn't this accelerate things? Still, Sasuke supposed he get all the money he needed overnight by robbing a bank. There was a limit to how far he would go.

"No, I'm not doing that."

Kabuto placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, and Sasuke didn't bother to push it off.

"Sasuke, do you want to help your brother or don't you?"

Sasuke frowned.

"That's not going to work on me."

The man rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Uchiha."

He grabbed Sasuke's hand and pushed the money into it, all two hundred bucks' worth.

"I'm setting up a deal with this guy, and I need someone to come with me. Someone with sharp eyes and a cool head. You can kind of feel the guy out, but no one's gonna make you work with him. Just in and out."

The Uchiha arched a brow.

"So, why did you give me the money back again?"

A sly smile.

"That's for coming with me. And there's another two hundred for you when it's over."

Bewildered, Sasuke stared back at the other. Four hundred bucks just for this? At this rate, he'd be well on his way to three grand.

"Why is it so important that I'm there?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"Because you're the only one at this school I can trust worth a damn. You're honest, smart, and level-headed. I know enough people with one or two of those traits, but not so many with all of them."

The thing that frustrated Sasuke about Kabuto was that even though his words were manipulative, they were usually true. Most of the people they associated with weren't extremely honest, and the ones that were didn't have a lick of experience with this subject matter. Oddly enough, Sasuke had never caught Kabuto in a direct lie. Rather, he was a master of omission, so to speak.

"When?"

Kabuto grinned.

"Next Thursday, at 7. Eighth and C Street."

The other frowned, still not fully convinced. This situation was fishy. Sasuke still didn't understand why it was so important for Kabuto to have someone "trustworthy" there. Still, he didn't think he was in a position to look a four hundred dollar gift horse in the mouth.

"I'll think about it."

Kabuto tipped his head, taking the money back.

"Whenever you make up your mind, the offer's open."

The two walked towards the door.

"Understood."


	27. Chapter 25

Sasuke hacked into his tissue, holding an icy bag of peas up to his uncomfortably warm forehead. The peas were beginning to thaw, and Sasuke dabbed at the newly forming droplets with a washcloth. Naruto, meanwhile, bounced to the beat of Sasuke's music while he played Halo on mute. He lay on his stomach, a leg swinging through the air absentmindedly from time to time.

Sasuke's room was saturated with that unmistakable aroma of sweat and illness. It hadn't taken long for Sasuke to catch Itachi's virus. Winter bugs had the worst timing. Although Sasuke had already lost his lunch on more than one occasion, he couldn't afford to rest. A missed day of school meant a missed day of sales. Sasuke only got sicker as the week progressed, but he refused to snooze. Other people were relying on him, after all.

Of course, Naruto looked as rosy as ever. As he'd bragged many times to Sasuke, he had the immune system of a god and practically never got sick. He even thought it was wise to gloat about this to Sasuke after he'd spent fifteen minutes hugging the toilet, only to receive a firm whack at the base of his skull. Served the dumbass right.

Since he'd come to live with Sasuke, he must've eaten well his weight in food. He was now restricted to instant ramen and Rice-A-Roni, but that seemed more like a reward to Naruto than a handicap.

Over the last several weeks, his face and body had filled out very obviously. His cheekbones were now softened by the generous flesh of his cheeks, and his arms and legs had developed meat. Without fail, he joined Sasuke in his daily exercise routine: pushups, situps, and weights. Sasuke could still do more pushups than him, but dammit, he'd had a head start! Naruto was thin, but he no longer looked unhealthy. Even now, he was munching on Skittles, his finished Hot Pocket resting at the foot of the bed.

"Hey Saaasuke, want some Skittles before I finish the bag?" Naruto sing-songed.

Sasuke glanced over, shocked that the entire two pound bag was nearly finished. Why was he even surprised?

"You're a black hole."

As if he had appetite for Skittles anyhow. Sasuke's voice came out as more of a croak, and Naruto merely smiled back. Sasuke had been even more tight-lipped than usual recently, since speaking had become physically painful.

"I like to enjoy the finer things in life, Sasuke. Like Skittles, soda pop, pizza, and instant ramen. Lots and lots of ramen. Oh, and Pop Rocks. Do we have any Pop Rocks? Maybe we should get some."

Naruto stopped rambling for a moment before shaking his hands quickly, "But not now or anything. I know we're tight on money. Maybe some time in the distant near future? My favorite flavor is-"

Sasuke groaned. Naruto's words were beginning to blur together, causing a tight clamp in the back of his skull.

"Shut up. You're making my head hurt."

Naruto quietly swore at Sasuke but stopped talking all the same. After a long pause, Sasuke snickered.

"When you first came here, I thought you only ate like that because you'd been starved."

Naruto lagged a moment. What Sasuke had originally interpreted as the desperation of starvation was actually Naruto's standard eating habits. Bursting into laughter, Naruto kicked his legs in the air as he shot another alien in the head. He was getting good at this game.

"You're priceless, Sasuke."

Sasuke grumbled with a smile on his face - one of the first he'd had all day. Sasuke's smile caused Naruto to beam, feeling quite accomplished to finally get the sophomore's lips to upturn. It had been so difficult for Naruto to get a smile out of Sasuke the past several days, and understandably so. The combined burden of Itachi's sickness, selling drugs, and Sasuke's own virus was quite heavy. To make matters worse, Sasuke told no one when he ran out of Zoloft last week after he'd weaned himself down. Insurance or none, there would be a copay at the very least. Sasuke was tough. He could manage.

Again, the sounds of Itachi's sickness filled his room - muffled wretching and heaving. The virus that had been plaguing him lately had only strengthened. Itachi hadn't been able to eat anything solid for almost two days. It was difficult, however, to determine how much of Itachi's condition was due to the tumor, and how much was due to the virus, and thus temporary.

Sasuke's smile vanished in an instant as Itachi's situation was made evident, replaced by a deep frown that pained Naruto. Sasuke's stress was obvious to him, though Sasuke went to great lengths to hide it. Sasuke slept fitfully, he woke up in gasps, and he wasn't eating enough. Sasuke was willing to go to almost any length for his brother's sake, even if it meant risking his own skin.

One of the first times he had hung out with Sasuke, Sasuke fretted because his brother was just short of an hour late. He'd called Sasuke strange, which he still believed was true. Sasuke was generally such an aloof character. The thought of him caring so much about another human being was a little offputting, if not endearing. If that small incident was enough to provoke that sort of reaction, he could only imagine what Sasuke was going through now.

Naruto also worried about Itachi. Though he'd never met the man, he'd seen pictures, heard stories, and sometimes was able to overhear Itachi's conversations with Sasuke, or even with Itachi's own friends over the phone. Naruto couldn't help but admire him. He must have been a very strong and selfless person, to single-handedly support his younger brother immediately after the death of both of their parents. Even now, he tried to suffer alone. Of course, Sasuke wouldn't have that.

Naruto wondered if Itachi was doing worse than he'd admit to Sasuke. Still, Naruto had hardly ever heard Itachi get that sick until the virus hit him. From what he'd been told, Itachi was eating and sleeping relatively well before this. How much would Itachi improve when he beat the virus? Would he beat the virus? Was it possible that Sasuke could end up like him?

Fortunately for the boys, the walls insulated noises reasonably well. However, when Itachi was especially sick, it was distinctly audible. Sasuke would try not to look at Naruto when this happened. He didn't want his face to give him away. He didn't want to be coddled. Other than his frequent attempts to tend to Itachi, he locked himself away in his own world.

Naruto sat next to Sasuke, gently combing his fingers through Sasuke's hair before ruffling it, effectively counteracting fifteen minutes of styling.

"Hey now, fussybutt."

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's swivel chair, rolling him back so that Naruto had access to his shoulders. As always, his muscles spanned his collarbone like taut ropes. He kneaded the flesh softly, only for Sasuke to pull himself back forward.

"I'm fine, Naruto."

Naruto frowned back at Sasuke, slapping the back of his chair. Yet again, Sasuke was pushing him away.

"Why can't you ever accept my help?"

The Uchiha sighed. It seemed unfair that he had someone feeling sorry for him and rubbing his shoulders just because he was hearing his brother heave out his insides. Itachi was alone, probably rolled up on a cold tile floor. And of course, he wouldn't open the damned door.

"Don't fuss over me. I've got the easy job," Sasuke responded, cocking his head in the direction of his brother's room.

Naruto was taking his liberties now with the swivel chair, forcing Sasuke around to face him. This was not the first time for Naruto to use this advantage, and it made Sasuke wish he'd chosen another chair when given the opportunity. Childishly, Sasuke twisted his head, continuing to evade Naruto's eyes.

"C'mon, Sasuke. Just relax. I like rubbing your back. It gives me an excuse to touch you."

Sasuke smiled wryly, his voice hinted with seduction.

"You don't need an excuse to touch me."

The callouses of Naruto's fingertips scratched against Sasuke's smooth shoulderblades. Pains shot up to his cranium and down his spine. As good as his posture was, he always wondered how his muscles managed to get so tight. His psychiatrist told him that Sasuke held far more tension in his body and mind than he was aware of. Whatever the case, Sasuke hadn't seen him in a while.

Despite his reservations, he acquiesced when Naruto tried to massage him again. He closed his eyes, slumping his body to make Naruto's job simpler. Naruto would go for the tightest, most painful stretch of muscle and grab the sucker like he was trying to suffocate it in a life or death battle. He would show that knot! It made Sasuke want to claw his seat cushion, but his pride would not allow him to ask for Naruto to be more "gentle."

Despite himself, Sasuke winced. Luckily, Naruto noticed this and readjusted his approach. If only for now, he tried to ignore his brother, tried not to think about how much he was suffering and why. Naruto smiled softly as Sasuke leaned back into his touch. Sasuke's eyes slowly closed, and he twisted his neck around to kiss Naruto.

"Thank you," he stated simply.

Naruto kissed back, their mouths opening just slightly before they pulled away. It was rare that someone was able to push through Sasuke's walls, to help him when he was hurting. He told himself that only the weak needed that. Sasuke was strong. He didn't need anyone to save him. But perhaps Sasuke wanted someone to transverse that boundary after all. It was a reckless indulgence, but then again, he'd excelled at being reckless lately.

His words, simple and devoid of sarcasm, caused Naruto to smile and kiss the area where Sasuke's neck met his shoulder - a particularly arousing patch of skin for Sasuke. Sasuke tried to ignore the lustier parts of his brain. It was difficult to do anything sexual in this situation. Sasuke felt like curling up on his bed, and the ambient noise wasn't exactly appealing.

The hours passed, and midnight dawned. The noises came and went, but the intensity only seemed to mount. A couple hours ago, true to form, Sasuke had tried to gain access into Itachi's room. The noises quieted as soon as Sasuke's presence had been made known to Itachi, only to resume soon after Sasuke returned to his bedroom.

He had never heard Itachi sound so horrible before. It was loud, steady, and suddenly...silence. Sasuke's body began to tingle lightly with anxiety. This wasn't normal. He cast an apprehensive gaze over at Naruto, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. The two nodded at each other, and Sasuke again approached Itachi's door.

"'Tachi!"

He had to yell to ensure that he was heard, which seemed to make his voice drop half an octave as it cracked conspicuously. Yelling was quite a difficult task for Sasuke right now, but it was a necessity.

"Hey! You okay in there?"

What was happening? Itachi had to be weak at this point. How could anyone vomit that much for hours and not be? He needed someone to take care of him. Suddenly, Sasuke heard a thud.

Sasuke hammered his fist down on the door, the wood rattling against its frame. Now was no time for courtesy.

"Itachi? Itachi!"

Nothing.

Several more loud bangs to the door, which Sasuke finished off with a heavy thud as the sole of his foot connected with the finished wood.

"Itachi, if you don't open this door _right now_, I'm kicking it down."

…

"I'm not joking. I will seriously kick this door down if you don't answer on the count of three."

He felt the need to clarify. They did not have the money to repair a broken door, but he had no idea what had happened in there. Perhaps time was of the essence. Naruto poked his head out of their door, staring at the other in confusion.

Sasuke silently mouthed, "Go away."

The Uchiha swallowed, trying to keep his irritated throat moist so that he could continue to shout.

"Three."

What awaited him behind those doors? A sick part of him was tempted to walk away, to ignore what was happening. At that moment, his stress felt almost like a physical weight. Nonetheless, this was a burden he must bear for his brother. He could not afford to be negligent here. He _would_ do whatever was in his power to keep him safe.

"Two."

At the start, Itachi had done his best to keep Sasuke from thinking that the word "tumor" was a big deal. He kept emphasizing that his tumor was benign, and that it would easily be fixed by a surgery. But the more Itachi padded his words, the more nervous Sasuke became.

"One."

He didn't _want_ to kick the door down. What would he see? Would this be like the time he stood over his father's hospital bed, his jaw literally dropped in shock? Was Itachi alright? _Would_ he be alright?

Sasuke's stomach turned to ice cubes and his bones to splinters. He was scared. Itachi was alright. He was fine. He was just tired. Maybe he was taking a nap. Everything was fine. Sasuke's heart was loud and abrupt as it beat. This was no time for cowardice. His body coursed with adrenaline. Sasuke channeled it into his leg as his foot collided with the door, a loud slam resonating throughout the house.

This wasn't as easy as it looked in the movies, the door denting but still mostly intact. However, one more kick was enough to gain entrance. Naruto couldn't help himself, peering through a small crack in the door as Itachi's door propelled backwards and splintered against the wall.

Sasuke ran over the course of the floor, Itachi's bed uncharacteristically unmade and askew. He took only an instant to make it to the bathroom. The bathroom door was wide open, Itachi lying on his back with a pool of his own vomit in front of him. It was...red. Blood. A lot of blood. Itachi's eyes were closed, his ribcage dramatically moving up and down as he took deep and slow breaths. Blood flowed down from Itachi's blue lips and nostrils.

For an instant, Sasuke was paralyzed. He suddenly felt so distant from the situation, as if he were watching a film. His mind seemed intent on taking in the details of the situation before Sasuke could continue. He didn't want to take in the details. He didn't want to see any of this. He didn't want to remember it. He just wanted Itachi to be alright. As long as this was the case, Sasuke would have no complaints.

Was Itachi even conscious? Sasuke rolled Itachi over to his side so that he wouldn't suffocate should he become sick again. He rustled Itachi's body.

"Itachi? Itachi!"

Itachi's body was limp. He was tempted to be a little rougher with Itachi in hopes that it would awaken him, but he feared injuring him in the process.

"Itachi, you need to wake up."

God, Sasuke felt... Sick. He felt so cold, the muscles of his chest cavity contorting acutely with anxiety. Could this really be happening? He'd worried about something like this, yes. But nothing could have prepared him for this moment.

"I-Itachi..."

He couldn't wake Itachi up... At least not this way. Sasuke ran into his room, his frenzied footsteps clamoring through the upper floor. Naruto turned to Sasuke quickly as the boy darted in, his face conveying absolute confusion. Sasuke grabbed his cell phone, pivoting on the balls of his feet as he ran back towards Itachi's bedroom.

"Sasuke? What's going-"

But Sasuke was gone before Naruto could finish his question. In fact, Sasuke hadn't even heard him. All of his senses were focused on finding that cell phone, not wasting a split second on the way. He didn't remember his body moving. Suddenly he was back beside his brother, and his cell phone was there. His body operated automatically, no movement inefficient.

Itachi hadn't stirred since Sasuke had found him. The instant it took for the operator to answer seemed to take minutes. Time stretched on endlessly as he took whatever actions he needed to promote Itachi's safety. Even his body seemed to move slowly, though Naruto would definitely disagree with that.

"I need an ambulance. It's urgent."

Naruto had followed Sasuke briskly, peeking his head anxiously around the door frame.

"Holy shit..."

Sasuke would have told Naruto to leave, would've told him that this was a private matter. Maybe he would've been been embarrassed that Naruto was witnessing such a dramatic moment of his family life. He would've probably done and felt all of these things if he had even noticed that Naruto was there.

"What's the nature of the emergency?" inquired a composed, female voice from his cell phone.

"My brother has a large benign stomach tumor and has the stomach flu. He started vomiting several hours ago, and there's blood in it. He lost consciousness approximately one minute ago."

For how quickly his heart was beating, his voice sounded eerily calm, even to himself. It was almost robotic.

"Expect an ambulance in three to five minutes. Stay with your brother. Lay him on his side. Are you alright?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered. "Is there anything else I can do for him until the ambulance gets here?"

"Just stay with him."

How could three minutes take so long? After he'd hung up the phone, he finally noticed Naruto's presence. He stared at the ground before responding.

"How long have you been here?"

"Since you called 911."

This was one hell of a way to "meet" Sasuke's brother. His long hair, ordinarily so neat, was tangled and strewn about the floor. He was pale. Sasuke held the back of his hand up to Itachi's forehead, which was hot to the touch.

Naruto sat beside Sasuke, putting his hand on the base of Sasuke's skull and tilting his head towards Naruto's shoulder. Sasuke resisted, keeping their bodies apart. He knew that if he allowed Naruto to comfort him, he would crumble. He would no longer think efficiently and promptly. He could decompress later. Right now he needed to be fully alert.

"It's alright, Naruto," Sasuke answered calmly, without a hint of distress in his voice.

The doorbell rang, followed by three prompt knocks. Sasuke answered the door, leading the crew up the stairs to the restroom. They lowered the stretcher and lifted Itachi onto it, a few long strands of hair straying off of the stretcher as it was jerked upward.

"Are you two his brothers?" the paramedic asked.

Sasuke shook his head.

"No, this is my boyfriend."

In the state of mind he was in now, lying didn't even occur to Sasuke. Naruto smiled. He felt a little selfish for being so affected by this after witnessing the sight of Itachi on the bathroom floor. This was the first time he'd heard Sasuke call him his boyfriend publicly. Of course, it wasn't like they'd had a lot of opportunities. It felt wonderful that someone knew, even if this someone was a random paramedic that neither would probably see again.

"We can only fit one in the ambulance."

Sasuke nodded.

"I figured. Naruto, if I call, the phone will ring twice. I'll hang up and call twenty seconds later. Keep the phone by you and answer if I call."

"Alright, Sasuke."

He was, frankly, in awe. Sasuke had walked in on quite a scene. He didn't shout, yell, cry, sigh, or even frown. He worked quickly and efficiently, almost as if he'd been trained for such situations specifically. He had always guessed that Sasuke would be the sort to keep his head under crisis. He would, indeed, make a magnificent doctor. Even Naruto felt more panicked than Sasuke appeared.

Of course, Naruto had no idea what thoughts and anxieties were crashing between Sasuke's ears. As he followed the paramedics, felt a strong wave of nausea brew everywhere from below his throat to above his pelvis. His head swam with fever, thankfully low grade enough for him to function through.

They rolled Itachi into the back of the ambulance, hooking him up to a slew of machines. They fitted Itachi with an IV, flushed his veins with saline, and placed oxygen tubes in his nose. They collected information about Itachi's medical history, his medication schedule, and their family history from Sasuke.

His body temperature had shot up to 106 degrees. When would he wake up? What was happening in Itachi's stomach? When he woke up, would he be okay? Was this all because he hadn't had his surgery yet? Perhaps the most pressing, what would Sasuke do?

Luckily, the hospital was near his house. He had spent the entire ambulance ride either explaining Itachi's medical and family history or staring restlessly at Itachi and his monitors. He paid special attention to his heartbeat. It was depressed, tinkering around the low thirties. He bit his lip as the number of the machine dipped into the twenties for the first time, only to soon after shoot up into the nineties and fall down to the thirties yet again. Sasuke didn't know what he'd do with himself if that number ever reached zero.

The ambulance door opened. Itachi's stretcher was promptly removed, and the wheels hit the ground. They hit the back of the ER. Itachi's stretcher remained motionless as two paramedics held back one of the double doors each. Sasuke was close by Itachi's side.

"We'll take him from here," the paramedics told Sasuke.

"What?"

"You can't come back here. The waiting room is that door, over there. If there's any news, we'll let you know."

The boy stood back wordlessly, fighting the urge to cling on to the stretcher for dear life. No, he had to be there for every moment. He had to watch. He couldn't let Itachi out of his sight. Anything could happen, then. Yet Sasuke knew, logically, that he would be every bit as helpless next to Itachi as he would be in a waiting room. This was typical procedure. If only for a little while, he had to say goodbye to his brother.

Sasuke reached down, grabbing Itachi's only free hand tightly. Despite Itachi's fever, it was so cold. Sasuke's hands were warm, palms sweating slightly. Could Itachi feel it, even now? He let go quickly, hoping that no one had noticed. For what could be the last time, he stared at Itachi intently as he was taken through the two white doors.


	28. Chapter 26

"Dr. Hutchinson, report to the ER. Dr. Hutchinson, to the ER."

A calm voice echoed through the hospital's main waiting room over the PA system. The seats were tolerable, thin padding separating Sasuke's tailbone from the hard wood seats. Regardless, his spine and neck had begun to ache, sensitized by his illness. The walls were a stark white, which bore into Sasuke's fever-plagued brain and caused him to knead at the bridge of his nose. The room was laden with the scent of hospital-grade disinfectant, which had begun to sting Sasuke's nostrils as the hours passed. The door was closed, but the window to the hallway showed nurses pacing briskly from time to time.

Prior to this, Sasuke had sat in the ER waiting room, rigid and with perfect posture, for nearly three hours. At times, it was difficult to comprehend how three hours could last so long. Other times, the minute hand seemed to leap without warning. As dawn approached, the soft glow of the concealed sun dimly wafted through the windows. His face was expressionless, and for all the room's other occupants knew, he could've been there for a sprain.

He had recently returned to the hospital's main waiting room. He had yet to get a clear answer regarding his brother's prospects from anyone. He remembered this place, this hospital... It had not been the fondest memory. His mind ran over the same questions incessantly, none of which he could answer. Therefore, he muted all thought, simply waiting. Just as he resisted Naruto's touch, he could not give into his anxieties now.

His chest felt tight, and his breathing threatened to quicken. His hands began to sweat, and he was tempted to fiddle with the sleeve of his jacket. He calmed himself, counting each nurse that walked by the window over the hours. There had been 212. He had been in the hospital for 234 minutes. That meant 14,040 seconds, give or take a few he'd just used to do the calculations in his head. That meant that, on average, he saw a nurse every 67 seconds. This next nurse, however, came in 42, and the one before that had come in 34. This must be a busy time for the hospital. Why? Sasuke found that his breathing had returned to normal, and his pulse had normalized.

Finally, a woman approached Sasuke, her long blond hair falling upon her noticeably large breasts, and...were those high heeled shoes? What kind of hospital employee wore high heels to work? As preoccupied as he was, he found himself wondering if those enormous flesh bags on the woman's chest were even real. What a bimbo...

A pronounced tap elicited as the soles of her shoes hit the tile with each step. It took all of Sasuke's discipline to stay in his seat. He did his best to keep his body posture calm, waiting until the woman was several feet in front of him to stand and take several comfortable steps towards her.

"You're Sasuke, right? Uchiha Itachi's brother?"

Sasuke nodded, his voice slightly impatient.

"Yes, I am. When can I speak with the doctor? I've been here for four hours and haven't gotten any news."

The woman crossed her arms and cast a steely glare down at Sasuke. She wouldn't have ordinarily surpassed him in height, but those shoes gave her an unfair advantage.

"You will refer to me as _Doctor_ Sannin."

Sasuke stared at the doctor in disbelief for a couple seconds. _This_ was the person who had been trusted with Itachi's life? God, it would be a miracle if he was still alive.

"Whatever. What's his status?"

Brown eyes flashed with annoyance, the woman obviously practicing self-restraint. She hesitated, staring Sasuke up and down. Yes, Sasuke looked young. But he could handle the truth, whether the doctor realized this or not.

"Are your parents here?"

When would this woman get to the punch? The suspense was excruciating. Why was she biting her tongue? His thoughts fixated on the worst case scenario. Was she waiting to gather the family? Sasuke paused.

"No, they're on vacation."

He didn't want hospital workers or social workers interfering when he tried to go home. He didn't want them trying to "place" him, should anything happen to Itachi. Though they were bound to figure it out eventually, he'd save himself the hassle for now. He'd had his fill after his parents died, when social workers had tried to wrestle him out of Itachi's possession. Of course, his brother was sharp. They didn't get very far.

The doctor smiled at Sasuke, sighing before continuing. Sasuke's heart jumped up his throat. He dreaded hearing what was to come, yet he wanted to be put out of his misery.

"You saved your brother's life, Sasuke."

The teen stared back mutely. Itachi was alive. Barely?

"He could've died?"

The doctor nodded.

"Sasuke, if you hadn't found him, he would've been dead by morning. Thanks to your vigilance, his prospects are much brighter."

Sasuke already knew that the situation had been very dire, but he had just been whacked over the head with the fact. For several seconds, Sasuke's brain had ceased function. He searched for words, shock temporarily paralyzing him. He couldn't process this. He had come so incredibly close. _"He would've been dead by morning."_ It stuck between his ears, refusing to be erased.

"So...is he going to be okay?" Sasuke asked vulnerably and quietly, his voice hoarse.

At Sasuke's tone, Dr. Sannin's austere features began to soften. She nodded, continuing, "The worst is over now. He was acutely dehydrated, and the vomiting had irritated his tumor and tore through some of the stomach lining. That's why he was bleeding. The bleeding, the fever, and the dehydration combined are what caused him to pass out. Now that he's receiving fluids, and we've stopped the vomiting, his condition is stable."

Sasuke nodded silently, accepting what the woman said. He felt so little yet so much all at once. The words smarted, but they hadn't sunk in.

"What do we do from here?"

The doctor now established direct eye contact, sternly gazing at him.

"He needs to get that tumor removed. It was bad luck that your brother got such a horrible bug now. It's damaged the surrounding tissue, so the area's very swollen and inflamed."

Sasuke sighed, his eyes averting. If the staff hadn't been aware of their financial situation, he sure as hell didn't want to educate them. The woman seemed to read Sasuke's thoughts.

"We're aware that there's a billing issue, but given the urgency of the situation, we'll proceed regardless. Since most of Itachi's weakness is due to dehydration and his elevated body temperature rather than tumor growth, we're going to wait for him to strengthen before the surgery. We should be able to operate within the next one to two weeks."

Despite all of the stress, Sasuke was relieved. Finally, Itachi would get that surgery he'd been so desperately needing. Finally, the hospitals were taking it seriously. He never seemed to know Itachi's state. He kept it from Sasuke, and he wouldn't let him in the damned room when he was at his worst. But now that he was being monitored by the hospital... Hopefully something like this wouldn't happen again.

"What's his prognosis post-surgery?"

Sasuke was quickly coming into his own, shock subsiding. He was once again composed, or at least doing a damned good impression of such. He didn't know when he'd be able to speak to one of Itachi's doctors next, so he'd cover his questions now. Now was no time for stunned silence.

"Even with the extra damage to his organ, his prospects are pretty bright, as the tumor is benign and can be separated from his organs without much repair required. As with any surgery, there _are_ risks. The surgery will thus lean towards the conservative end, so it will be relatively safe. However, it's almost certain that Itachi will need a follow up operation."

Sasuke nodded slowly.

"What are the risks? What's the probability?"

A frown.

"I'd say that the possibility of Itachi having no complications from the surgery are pretty high. But there are risks of permanent organ damage, hemorrhaging, or in a very unlikely scenario, death."

He knew this, he supposed. And as optimistic as the doctor sounded, hearing those words was painful.

"Can I have some numbers? You said it's likely that Itachi won't have any complications, but what percent would you put on that? What about... You know... Survival? How likely is that?"

Some compassion had worked its way onto the doctor's face, and she had slowly gone from stern to empathetic. Sasuke was scared. Perhaps she could tell.

"Sasuke, this is a complicated situation, and there are a lot of variables. It's difficult to put a number on this."

Ebony brows knit. What did "likely" mean? Sixty percent? Ninety percent? Likely, high possibility, bright prospects... These words were vague and substanceless, and they left far too much up to the imagination. Sasuke knew that his mind would gravitate towards the pessimistic. It was something he realized and attempted to correct, but persistence could only go so far. He needed to _understand_, to know exactly what he was dealing with.

"I know, but... Ballpark?"

He wouldn't beg. He'd never descend to that level, and he didn't sound overly troubled. However, those that knew Sasuke the best might have noticed the smallest hint of desperation in his voice.

"I suppose..." The woman sighed, sounding a little exasperated but still engaged. She continued, "I suppose, given the size of the tumor, the organs it's attached to, and Itachi's age... I'd give him a seventy percent chance of a surgery completely without complications. I'd give him a ninety percent chance of recovering."

There was no secret as to what the alternative to a recovery was. However, Sasuke remembered that when Itachi had first told Sasuke about the tumor, he had stated that the probability of surviving the surgeries was in the nineties. He was relieved at least to hear that these figures hadn't changed much.

The doctor extended him a business card, displaying a picture of her looking particularly proud. "Dr. Tsunade Sannin" the card read, in clear font and raised black ink. It was set upon a white background with the hospital's logo.

"Here, have my card. If you or your parents have any questions, call me."

Sasuke found that he had little else to say.

"He should be waking up now. Would you like to see him?"

Sasuke nodded before Tsunade had even finished her sentence, causing her to smile back warmly.

"They've moved him to room 427. Take those elevators. But be warned, he's a little..."

Sasuke turned towards the elevators, wasting no time. Finally, Itachi would be back in his sight. He worried that he might never get to see Itachi again, might never be able to speak a single word to him. He _had_ to see him now, feeling as though his brother might vanish should he delay.

"You're welcome," Tsunade called after him, tsk'ing under her breath.

"Yeah, thanks," Sasuke answered obligatorily. If Tsunade was on Itachi's treatment team, Sasuke should probably keep things civil with her. Still, his mind was somewhere else.

On the way up, two wheelchairs and one elderly woman _slowly_ entered and exited the elevator. After what seemed like forever, he reached his floor. He moved briskly down the halls, his mind returning to all the wrong places. Although his father had been kept on a different floor, the floor and the nurse's station had the exact same layout. All of the uniforms were the same, and they even used the same disinfectant. As pleased as he was that Itachi was on the mend, he couldn't stop the barrage of memories flooding his mind. He hadn't been to the hospital since that day, and unfortunately, it didn't look much different.

The hospital staff had warned him that he would not look like the father Sasuke once knew. His flesh would be burned, and his mind would be dulled by painkillers. They had tried to get Sasuke to sit down, to give him a glass of water before entering.

But Sasuke had known that time was precious. He would allow nothing to delay him from seeing his father. He promptly traversed the hospital halls alongside a sympathetic nurse. Just a couple months past fourteen, the boy believed that he could handle whatever waited in his father's hospital room. What he saw that day would be the subject of his nightmares for months, and probably for the rest of his life.

No one else, other than the hospital workers, saw his father before he died - not even Itachi. There was no one he could discuss it with, and he had never spoken of it, even with his therapist. The staff had told him that his father's health was on the brink, between life and death. The same had been true for Itachi. Sasuke supposed that these sorts of things could go either way. Today, he was serendipitously much luckier than he had been one year ago. His father had died, while Itachi had lived. But would he recover? That was another question entirely.

He heard the machines before he even entered. The floor was made of hardwood, and a drawn window sat directly above Itachi's head. Though the room smelled of hospitals and illness, Sasuke was pleased to see that Itachi looked much better than he had in the ambulance. His head was elevated slightly, leaning haphazardly to the right. It lifted ever so slightly when Itachi noticed Sasuke in the room.

Some color had returned to his cleaned face, though he was surrounded by a sea of beeping machines and winding tubes. His oxygen tubes snaked from his septum, across his lean chest, and up into the wall, twisting with several tubes connecting to Itachi's veins. Itachi's morphine pump hissed every several minutes as it mercifully dulled Itachi's pain with a few cc's of medicine. Itachi's eyes, half lidded, dragged over to Sasuke's face. A slight smile graced badly chapped lips.

"What's this I heard about my little brother saving my life?"

Sasuke was now able to smile for the first time tonight. It was wide and was born without Sasuke's permission. The sky was a bluish pink, the sun edging closer to the horizon by the minute.

"Good morning, asshole. You scared the shit out of me."

Itachi smiled as tears began to fall down his cheeks shamelessly.

"Sasuke, I'm so sorry..."

Sasuke shook his head quickly. Shit, he hadn't actually expected Itachi to take him seriously. Wasn't this their typical dynamic? Sasuke suspected that this was the effect of the morphine. He could tell from the instant Itachi opened his eyes that he was quite drugged. This was probably for the best.

"Relax, I'm teasing. I'm just glad you're okay."

But Itachi continued, "S'suke, you smell like...rotten pizza and cat piss. What's wrong with your shirt? How'd it get so dirty?"

Sasuke sighed, eyeing him sarcastically, "Yes, I wonder."

"But it was your favorite shirt..." Itachi slurred. "That day at the beach, when Dad wouldn't let you have a hamburger, so I bought you... I don't understand."

Sasuke blinked.

"What don't you understand?"

"I don't understand...I am certain, or _reasonably_ certain that I heard Kesha today. Why I would hear Kesha while I'm in a room with white coats? That doesn't make sense to me. It's a very big problem."

Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle under his breath, regardless of today's calamity. His brother, always so dignified and intelligent... This must've been what Tsunade had _tried_ to warn him about.

"Why is it such a big problem?"

"Because..." Tears began to flow from Itachi's eyes again as his lower lip quivered. "Cuz I don't _like_ Kesha! Why would they do this to me? I don't understand!"

Sasuke snorted, muffling a laugh and striving to look reassuring. Why would they have Kesha playing in such a situation, anyway? It struck the younger Uchiha as awfully unprofessional. Unless, of course, Itachi had imagined it. Or maybe it was someone's ringtone... Anyhow, enough of that.

"Easy, easy. No more Kesha for you." He wiped several of Itachi's tears away with his thumbs, very gingerly. "I'll make sure of it."

Itachi smiled wide, his eyes barely able to contain their gratitude. He reached out for Sasuke, wincing from the pain as his IV caught on the rail of his bed. Sasuke lightly grabbed his arm and placed it back down.

"Thank you, Sasuke. Thank you so much. You are the _best_ brother I've ever had."

Sasuke raised his brows, responding flatly, "Itachi, I'm the _only_ brother you've ever had. And stay still, or you'll hurt yourself."

"No no, I may not always agree with you, S'suke. Not always. But ya know what? I agree with you now. Really, I do wholeheartedly. There are only one of you, which is why you're so great. Imagine if there was two of you! Like an identical twin, or maybe a clone? ...Oh no."

Sasuke glanced over at the morphine pump skeptically.

"Christ. How much morphine do they have you on?"

"Not enough," Itachi replied dryly.

Sasuke couldn't help but snicker.

"S'suke... Sasuke, I'm sorry."

Sasuke shook his head.

"There's nothing to apologize about."

"No... Sasuke, you dun understand... They told me... The hospital told me I could have the surgery 'bout a couple weeks ago."

Sasuke was motionless, staring at his brother for several seconds.

"What?"

Itachi frowned, looking down.

"But they said I got more time, cuz my tumor was slowin' and all, not growing as fast as it had been for the past..."

"Itachi?"

Itachi was staring off at the wall now, analyzing it closely.

"Itachi, finish your thought."

Itachi squinted his eyes at Sasuke.

"What was I talking about?"

"You were saying that the hospital had offered to perform the operation a couple weeks ago, but the growth of your tumor had slowed. So..." Sasuke sighed with frustration, staring down at his lap. "So you passed it up."

Itachi frowned, the insides of his eyebrows raising.

"Tutoring was paying good... And I had extra time, so I wanted to get some money to live on, and for both of us to get by. I just...didn't know I was gonna get such a bad bug and react like this. It woulda been fine, S'suke."

Sasuke tried to curb his frustration. He'd risked his entire future to make sure that this operation had happened as soon as possible, and here Itachi was intentionally delaying it? Of course, Itachi had no way of knowing what Sasuke was up to. He was working at St. Magdalene's, after all.

He understood Itachi's reasoning. Itachi wouldn't be able to work for a while after his surgery, and while perhaps they might get some other sort of aid, it would most likely not be much. What would they live on then? Itachi needed another surgery, and there were also Sasuke's expenses and psychiatric care to consider. Yes, maybe Sasuke could raise some change, but how much was he really capable of at his age? Apparently much more than Itachi was aware of.

Maybe it was true. Maybe Itachi could've gone on for months if he'd not gotten so horribly sick. But Itachi had been taking risks with his life. The fact that they sat in this hospital room was proof of that. Itachi could've _died_, and for what? Financial security? Yet Itachi was in no place to endure the full extent of Sasuke's aggravation right now.

"Itachi..." Sasuke sighed again, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. "For being such a genius, you can be really fucking stupid sometimes."

"Mn... 'M supposed to be the one telling you that."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, mildly frustrated that Itachi was able to zing him regardless of how much morphine was running through his veins. He was angered by what he had learned, because he feared for his brother's life. He was concerned, and it seemed like in his case, nothing could piss him off so adeptly as concern. Itachi had told Sasuke that he believed that the tumor's growth had slowed, which had relieved Sasuke somewhat. Still, especially given how ill he'd been lately, he believed that Itachi was sugarcoating the truth. It certainly wouldn't be the first time Itachi had shut him out. He wondered if he would've ever even known these things if Itachi hadn't been so drugged at the moment.

"You could've died. Your life is more important than our standard of living. You need to tell me these things."

"I know. What was I thinking?!" Itachi's eyes widened, and Sasuke couldn't help but admit that it was endearing.

But then, tears were again falling down Itachi's cheeks. These, however, hurt Sasuke much worse.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke... I'm sorry... I didn't want you to worry, but instead I put you through hell. Please forgive me." Itachi winced in pain as his heart rate increased, clutching his stomach lightly. "I'm sorry..."

"Hush, 'Tachi." Sasuke leaned over, petting his sweat-sheened forehead lightly and slowly. "It's okay. We're going to be fine."

"Sorry... I'm sorry..."

"You can make it up to me."

Itachi stared back at Sasuke, dumbfounded.

"How could I ever make up for this?"

"After you get better, you're going to take me to the beach… And you're going to buy me a new shirt."


	29. Chapter 27

Sasuke and Itachi only spoke for several more minutes until Itachi drifted off. The nurses told him that Itachi would likely sleep through most of the day. Sasuke had originally planned to camp out at the hospital, but the hospital staff reassured Sasuke that Itachi would only recover over the next several days. Rather than wearing himself down at the hospital, he should go home and rest. Sasuke reluctantly supposed they were correct.

This wasn't a sprint to the finish line. Itachi would need him over the next several weeks. Besides, he would be of much more use to Itachi selling than he would be sitting in a hospital waiting room while Itachi slept. He gave Naruto a call, very calmly explaining the situation and insisting that yes, he was just fine.

By the time he got home, the sun had almost ventured completely out from behind the hill. The house was still dark, light enough to navigate around but too dark to read by. It would appear that Naruto had either fallen asleep with the phone or had just decided to remain upstairs. Slowly, moving as if zombified, Sasuke pulled out the chair of the kitchen table and plunked down. Only then did he realize how profoundly tired he was.

Suddenly, his vision began to blur. He brought his thumb to his eye to remove the intruding matter, only to find that it came back wet. His throat, already red with irritation, tightened. Warm drops began to stream down his cheek, back to back.

How had this happened so quickly? In the only calm he'd had since the chaos of last night, everything rushed to the surface. He was finally alone. He covered his eyes with his hand, wishing that his body would just cooperate and _stop_. His chest felt like it was clenching around something sharp.

His brother had almost died. What would've happened? He would have lost his entire family. He would've lost his home. He would've been placed into foster care. Naruto would have had to return to the streets. Only now did he truly allow his mind to wander, after he had been removed from the situation.

What if he had gone to bed early that night? He'd even considered that, hoping that it would knock out his own fever. What if he'd slept through the noises? His mind vividly pictured the sight of him kicking down his brother's door, only to find him dead in a pool of his own vomit and blood. He would have died, just like his parents had last year. Just like that, Sasuke would be alone.

"Stop it, Uchiha," he whispered to himself.

His shoulder bounced as he cried as quietly as he could. He felt embarrassed for his tears, even in the privacy of his own mind. He wasn't supposed to cry. He would never be so weak and sentimental. Even when his parents died, he'd only shed tears a couple of times. He had to be strong now. Thus, it came to his horror when he heard footsteps approach him.

No one was supposed to see him like this. He supposed that this was fate's way of paying him back for that time he found Naruto on Eighth and J, his face bruised and beaten. He knew now how Naruto must've felt. Sasuke still had bits of vomit and blood on his shirt, coughing every few minutes through his soft crying. The cerulean of Naruto's concerned eyes wouldn't leave his body. So he did whatever he could to make himself look at least slightly less pathetic. He dried his eyes, and did his best to sound angry rather than bereft.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you? Why don't you just turn the lights on like any normal person? You're clumsy enough already!" Sasuke attempted to shout, but his raw vocal chords refused to cooperate.

Naruto approached Sasuke slowly, a deep frown on his face.

"Sasuke..."

He wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck, holding his body into him. Sasuke's body became rigid as he successfully fought back his tears. The silence was precarious.

"Naruto, stop. Not now."

Naruto's touch was dangerous. It grounded him, softened him. He couldn't give in. He couldn't let it hit him. But instead, Naruto took a seat next to Sasuke, forcing Sasuke's entire upper body into his arms. Sasuke's head rested on Naruto's shoulder, and he attempted to tense, to ignore Naruto's warmth, the hand softly petting the back of his head. If he allowed his body to give, he felt that he would lose control.

"I mean it," he spoke, his voice still strong enough to be authoritative, "Leave me alone."

The idiot wouldn't give up. He tried to move away from Naruto, who only pulled him back more tenaciously. Sasuke had stopped crying the instant he noticed Naruto, yet the blond still held him so tightly. Sasuke was trying to fight it. It had been difficult to pull himself together so quickly, and Naruto was definitely not helping matters. He knew how to do this. He knew well how to stuff his stresses and struggles to the recesses of his mind. Sasuke wanted to retreat, to block himself off. It wasn't fair. Why did Naruto have to be around when it was the toughest to shut down?

Sasuke frowned, allowing his body to relax. The muscles gave way, his rib cage compressed, and his eyelids drooped. He sighed, very slowly letting out the air that the muscles around his chest had clung to so stubbornly. His eyes burned, then they teared. He felt the tears flowing fast and heavy, and before he was even aware of what his body was doing, his entire frame was wracked by deep sobs.

He hadn't cried like this since he was a small child. Even after his parents died, though he did leak out the eyes a handful of times, he'd never let go to this extent. His honor would not allow it. It was cathartic, relieving, painful, and humiliating all at once. It wasn't just about his brother. It was everything that had happened this past year, all rolled up into one. It was his fury, his loneliness, and his heartbreak.

His parents were dead. Nothing he could ever do would bring them back. He was every bit as powerless in those regards as he was the day that fire had consumed their flesh. He would never hear his father's reluctant but warmingly genuine laughter again. He would never hear his mother's soft voice humming in the car or feel her smooth hand gently comb through his hair while he lay in bed fevered, just as he was now. Though he would give most anything for just one more minute with them, they were gone. It was over. Never again.

And again, from the time he found Itachi on the bathroom floor even to right now, he had been powerless. If fate had frowned upon him today, he would never feel Itachi's fingertips between his brows, never sip at his beer over burgers and laughter. He was powerless to protect Itachi from the sickness that plagued him, powerless to provide for his family. He was powerless to find Naruto a home. He hated all of these things he couldn't control. These were the very things that could take from him the people that mattered most in a heartbeat. And so he cried.

He had only met Naruto this summer. Why would he allow himself to unwind around this boy, of all people? He hated the sounds coming from him. They sounded so miserable and pitiful. It made him feel so vulnerable, yet so honest. It clicked for Sasuke now. Maybe love was being able to act like this around someone.

"Shit... He really could've died. I could've lost him."

Naruto tried not to reveal his shock at Sasuke's reaction. The sounds issuing from Sasuke were literally painful to Naruto. At the most, he'd seen a knit brow, a sigh, or a frown from Sasuke. He knew that Sasuke was stressed, but he only showed it in the smallest of ways.

Naruto didn't object to crying. When he needed to blow off steam, he saw no problem with shedding a few tears. He knew that this wasn't the case with Sasuke, the epitome of stoicism, of grace under pressure. It was tragic and almost disturbing. For Sasuke to cry, especially like _this_, he must really be hurting. Sasuke clenched Naruto's shirt roughly, balling the fabric with white knuckles.

He hated to see Sasuke suffer like this. He wanted to fix everything for Sasuke, to make his brother healthy, to bring his parents back. But all he could do was just wrap his pale frame in his own. It seemed so inadequate. Naruto's throat tightened, and his eyes misted with tears.

Sasuke tried to ignore thoughts of humiliation and insecurity, feeling a deep inner tension leave his body. Sasuke wasn't sure how much time had passed. Finally, he began to run out of steam, succumbing to profound exhaustion. He was unpleasantly reminded of his fever as he was struck by nausea in the pit of his stomach and a nasty headache. Tears were still falling, but noiselessly now.

"It...was the same hospital my dad died in," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto's veins iced at Sasuke's words. He had suspected from the start that Sasuke would be making connections. He'd just lost his parents last year, so how could he avoid being reminded? Sasuke had told Naruto that no one in the house made it past the night. This was vague. Who had been in the house? Had they died on the spot? How much had Sasuke seen?

Naruto didn't speak at first, running his fingers through Sasuke's hair as he pinned a chunk of his bangs behind his ear. What could he possibly say to that?

"That must've been really scary."

The Uchiha merely nodded in response, unable to maintain eye contact.

"I kept...remembering... Fuck, I miss my parents so much. I think about them every day."

As difficult as this was for Naruto hear, he felt profoundly honored that Sasuke, as distant as he was, would choose to open up to him. He believed that this was a very big step in their relationship. Something about Sasuke's tone seemed so raw, so...real. Naruto couldn't currently see Sasuke's eyes, but he saw a plump tear fall from his face to the back of his hand. Even if Sasuke could never explain how badly his parents' death had damaged him, it was clear in his voice.

"I had no reason to ever expect them to die. But all of the sudden..."

It felt that nearly everything he'd known or loved had disappeared in a second. His parents, all of his possessions, and even his cat were lost in the fire. All he had was Itachi and Naruto now. Thank god for them. Yet couldn't he lose them just as easily?

Sasuke's voice cracked, and a new surge of tears was coming. Fine. He didn't care anymore. Naruto silently pet Sasuke, rubbing his sore head and shoulders from time to time. It was so unfair, Naruto thought. Sasuke was only fifteen years old. Losing his parents had been difficult enough. Now Sasuke had to deal with the possibility of losing his brother, the sight of him lying on the bathroom floor inches from death.

Several tears ran down Naruto's cheek, their course indenting slightly as it met his scars. He couldn't stand to see Sasuke suffer like this. He wanted to say something, to fix the situation, to soothe and reassure. But right now, Sasuke needed to talk, needed to be listened to. If Naruto interrupted him, and thus derailed Sasuke's train of thought, Sasuke might shut down completely.

"It's crazy. People can get snatched up in an instant, right under your nose. That's why I get paranoid... Maybe I overreact. My parents, then you, now Itachi... Everything moves so fast, and there's not shit I can do about it. I just have to keep moving with it, but it's too much, too fast..."

When was the last time he'd used so many words, and about such a topic no less? He had previously led a calm existence. He had no reason to become so strong. He had not been even slightly prepared for what the next year would hold. He wanted to go back. God, he'd give anything to go back. He had thought that his parents' deaths would be the worst of it. He had already been strained, but stresses seemed to come one after the next. How could he fix himself when he kept being knocked down just as he began to make progress?

Naruto didn't interrupt Sasuke as he spoke. These were all words that needed to be said, words that Sasuke had buried deep in his psyche, covered by a front of distance and indifference. Sasuke's reckless behavior made sense, especially when he said such things. Maybe Sasuke jumped the gun sometimes, but he would do anything to protect the people he loved.

Sasuke held Naruto tightly into his body, hiding his face with Naruto's shoulder. A few remaining tears fell, more slowly now. Naruto gently lifted Sasuke's face up by his chin, slowly kissing him, his tongue caressing Sasuke's as they leisurely moved against each other. When Sasuke looked back at Naruto, his eyes were red and slightly swollen, but the tears had stopped.

"I can do it, right?"

Sasuke was actually asking him for reassurance? He never would've seen that one coming. Naruto grinned.

"Of course you can. You're such a stubborn little asshole... I know you can face whatever comes your way. You're strong, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled back, the corners of his lips quaking as he kept back tears.

"I was just testing you, by the way," Sasuke answered wryly, despite the fact that his voice was still strained. "You passed."

Naruto snickered, before continuing in a quieter voice, "You don't have to do it alone, Sasuke."

All of this time, it had been Sasuke who stayed up late pouring over textbooks, setting up deals, and mowing lawns. Naruto had done what he could to help, keeping the house tidy and backing Sasuke up emotionally. Hell, he couldn't even cook for Sasuke. Any attempts at doing so just caused more hassle if anything. But these efforts could only go so far. It seemed so feeble.

"You." Sasuke gripped Naruto's hand tightly before continuing, "You're not going anywhere, got it?"

Sasuke's voice was pushy with a hint of dry jest. But damn, how much more was he supposed to handle? At least _someone_ had to stick around. He couldn't take losing Naruto now.

There was something more Naruto had wanted to say. Perhaps there was another way he could help. It was risky, yes, but if Sasuke was willing to go this far for his brother… He would discuss this with Sasuke later. He'd wait until Sasuke was in a less fragile state of mind before making any decisions.

"Got it."

Sasuke lifted his head up again. He was surprised at how much better he felt. Is this what people saw in crying, in talking things out? Sasuke felt ashamed when a small part of him wished that he had done this much, much sooner. Maybe he would consider opening up a little more in the future, just possibly.

As he parted away from Naruto, he wiped at his face and raised his lip in disgust upon noticing how wet it was. His nose was stuffed and runny to the point that it had become useless, and his head ached. Christ, he was a wreck.

"This is absolutely disgusting."

Maybe he'd take back what he'd thought about letting out his emotions more often. He'd clearly forgotten all the things that crying entails, like puffy skin, runny noses, and aching heads. He rubbed his temple and tried to resist the urge to wipe at his nose.

"No wonder I never do this."

Naruto chuckled, offering Sasuke a box of tissues from the counter. Sasuke cleaned up quickly.

"Feeling any better now?"

Sasuke sighed, "Yeah, I'll be fine. But I _really_ have to figure out how to raise all that... Shit."

Naruto hesitated at Sasuke's sudden change of tone. Suddenly, Sasuke was on his feet. Naruto bit his lip, wondering what Sasuke was referring to. It sounded rather dire.

"What?"

"It's 6:52."

Naruto perked a brow.

"Uh... And?"

Sasuke was moving away now in strides.

"I have to get ready. I'll be late for the bus."

Naruto's jaw dropped as he regarded Sasuke with skepticism. He couldn't be serious. After all that had happened, he wanted to go to school? How Sasuke could endure so much and then just snap back into game mode frankly amazed him.

"_Please_ tell me you're shittin' me."

But Sasuke had already entered the downstairs bathroom. He used a washcloth to cover his face in cold water, which reduced his face's temperature and the reddish swelling around his eyes at the same time. There, no evidence of distress whatsoever. He'd have to shower and change outfits too. Dammit.

"You're not going to school today."

Sasuke arched a brow, finding Naruto's statement rather novel. Naruto, meanwhile, wondered how Sasuke could compose himself so quickly. The guy had just been crying his eyes out.

"Apparently I am."

Naruto crossed his arms, stubbornly shaking his head.

"Nope."

"Yep."

Naruto rolled his eyes, losing his patience now.

"Stop being so stubborn! You haven't slept all night, and you have a fever."

Not to mention the fact that he'd had to call an ambulance on his brother, and that said brother had nearly died. Or that he'd just broken down bawling. For Christ's sake, the guy still had blood on him. Of course, he knew that saying this would get him nowhere with Sasuke.

"A low grade fever," Sasuke clarified with a croak.

Naruto shook head head, holding his feet in place. He wasn't budging an inch.

"You are not going to school, and that's _final_."

Sasuke merely smirked, almost amused by the authority in Naruto's voice, "You should realize by now that you'll never be able to boss me around."

"You need to rest!"

Sasuke frowned, replying in a more patient tone of voice, "Breakdown time is over. I've got shit to do."

The blond obstinately stood in front of the bathroom door, blocking Sasuke's path to the bedroom. How could Sasuke recover so quickly?

"Move," Sasuke ordered.

Naruto's eyebrows declined angrily, and he mouthed the word quite clearly, "No."

Sasuke calmly tried to push Naruto out of the way, but he didn't budge.

"I mean it, dumbass. I'm behind in calculus."

Naruto's smirked as his brows raised, a mocking smile on his face.

"Oooh, you gonna get a B or something?"

"Of course not."

Naruto arched his brow.

"Have you ever even gotten one?"

"No, and I don't intend to. So move your ass."

Sasuke had seriously never even gotten a B? For as much trouble as Sasuke could cause, he was certainly an overachiever.

"You're not even gonna be able to learn when you're like this!"

"I need the sales too."

Naruto again looked stern. He was reminding Sasuke of his mother at this rate. He might as well just put an apron on him.

"Yeah, stop doing that! You're gonna get in big trouble!"

Sasuke sighed, "If anything, this fiasco has showed me that I need to be _more_ diligent about it."

Naruto grunted and pressed his forehead into his palm.

"No. Less! Be less diligent!"

They were performing the operation, weren't they? Why the urgency? Sasuke stared at Naruto impatiently, now forcibly shoving him out of the way.

"I said no, dickboat!"

"Piss off! I'm gonna be late!"

Soft pushes weren't going to get him anywhere. Sasuke threw his weight into Naruto's body and sent the smaller boy stumbling backwards, running up the stairs and locking the shower door behind him. He threw off his clothes. Water. Shampoo. Soap. Done in five minutes. He wrapped a towel around his waist and pulled at his bedroom door...which was locked. Sasuke kicked the door.

"Hey! Let me in!"

Naruto shouted back.

"Joke's on you, bastard! You can't go to school if you don't have any clothes!"

Of course, Naruto was doing this for Sasuke's own good. Sasuke was going to get really sick if he didn't rest today. Naturally, he didn't find the idea of Sasuke slamming on the door with nothing but a towel around his waist amusing. He didn't take any sick pleasure in this. No, of course not. Whatever the case, Sasuke was anything but amused.

"If you don't let me in, I'm gonna punch your fucking lights out! Now open the door!"

"You can't make me!"

What was he going to do? He certainly couldn't wear the outfit he'd just stripped out of. As if the sight of it weren't bad enough, it wasn't exactly the most fragrant. So he could either convince Naruto to let him in (unlikely), find some other way into his room, or just sit there naked until the school bus rolled around.

He had an idea, but he was running out of time. He rummaged through his pants and pulled out his school ID, which he promptly used to wiggle into his bedroom. That lock had never been very strong. Naruto shrieked upon hearing the door open, a shower of potato chips hitting the ground in his shock.

He was unsure whether the sight of a naked, still slightly damp Sasuke angrily charging towards him was more amusing, arousing, or frightening. Sasuke lifted his fist back and punched Naruto in the shoulder, a good bit harder than was playful. Naruto grasped both hands around Sasuke's arm, the larger boy tugging Naruto across the carpet by his heels as he approached the closet.

"Let go!"

Sasuke grabbed the nearest T-shirt. He didn't exactly have the luxury of being picky right now. As Sasuke tried to lift the shirt over his head to put it on, Naruto barred his forearm over the collar and pushed Sasuke's head down. At this rate, the shirt was going to rip, and this exchange was certainly doing nothing for Sasuke's headache. Sasuke's towel fell to the ground as he strained, much to Naruto's approval.

"You are going to be in such deep shit when I get home from school today."

He couldn't even get the damned shirt over his head.

"You aren't going to school! You're going to go to bed and eat chicken noodle soup and watch cartoons with me, dammit!"

"Your shows are all horrible!" Sasuke spat, and he meant it.

Naruto gasped, "Well, your music sucks! There's a reason why no one's heard of these bands!"

He actually loved Sasuke's music, but that fact would hardly serve his current purposes. Sasuke growled. He'd gotten the shirt over his head but was having great difficulty getting his arm through the sleeve, with Naruto clinging to his bicep.

"Just because you don't hear a song all over the radio doesn't mean it's bad. I'm sick of your top forty shit!"

Dammit, he only had five minutes! Sasuke shoved Naruto's chest away, only for Naruto to whack him in the face. Naruto gasped as Sasuke elbowed him in the stomach. Sasuke used the opportunity to put on his shirt, now his only piece of clothing. Naruto clutched Sasuke's hair and yanked his head forward by it. Sasuke was beginning to cough, driving his forearm into Naruto's elbow to free his hair.

"Hate to break it to you, but this isn't doing anything for my fever."

Sasuke was sick, and Naruto was smaller. It was a fair enough fight, and Sasuke was running out of time. Sasuke lunged towards his underwear drawer, Naruto pulling the boxers out of Sasuke's hands before he could get them around his feet. Sasuke was beginning to feel dizzy. He couldn't hold back.

"You'll get plenty of rest after I knock you unconscious!"

Naruto sunk his teeth into Sasuke's forearm. Fuck, that was sharp. Sasuke slammed his fist onto the top of Naruto's head in rapid succession, causing his jaws to loosen. Had Naruto seriously just _bit_ him? He should've known that Naruto would be a dirty fighter. The room was beginning to spin around Sasuke, his exposed lower half becoming quite frigid. He glanced over at the clock. He was too late.

"You idiot!"

Naruto grinned back at the other victoriously as if to say "I win." The look Sasuke gave him in return could've curdled milk, soon after punching Naruto's bicep with boney knuckles. Naruto braced himself against Sasuke's desk as he shoved Sasuke onto the bed with all of his strength. Naruto lunged on top of him, on all fours with Sasuke beneath him.

There was a slight shine to Sasuke's forehead and a gentle blush to his cheeks. Whether this was due to his fever or their altercation, Naruto couldn't say. Sasuke's shirt just crept above Sasuke's ribcage, his lower half completely bare. Naruto froze. Sasuke panted now, his eyes partially lidded as he scowled up at Naruto.

And there Sasuke was, fever-flushed, exposed, irate, and pinned beneath him. Naruto glanced down, and he felt his lower half begin to heat up, felt a tingle over his back and shoulders. Sasuke's left hip hung up slightly askew, brushing against his thigh. His cock hung limply, and Naruto felt a steady heartbeat sinking lower, between his legs.

Sure, this might not have been the best timing. The past twelve hours had been nothing short of a nightmare for Sasuke, and he was under the weather to boot. But god, when Sasuke was _literally_ just lying there, underneath him like that, with nothing on but a T-shirt, vulnerable… How was he supposed to resist?

On impulse, Naruto leaned forward, savagely kissing Sasuke, only for Sasuke to bite into his bottom lip. Hard.

"Ow! What the hell, Sasuke?"

Naruto licked at the wound. Was that blood he tasted?

"Fuck you," Sasuke growled.

"You…fuckin' bastard…"

Sasuke merely smirked.

But now Naruto held Sasuke's body down by arms. The other grunted as he tried to fight Naruto, but the room had begun to spin. He was dizzy, and he clenched his eyes shut. Naruto kissed his neck, nipping the skin and pulling outward. Much to Sasuke's dismay, he heard a quiet but needy moan escape his lips. Naruto licked his palm, reaching down and caressing Sasuke's dick.

"Nn…"

Naruto's saliva felt cool against the fever-heated skin. It was so sensitive, and Sasuke fought temptations to grind into Naruto's palm. Naruto grasped his length, pumping up and down as Sasuke's nails dug into Naruto's lower back. That asshole had gotten in his way, and now he was attempting to seduce him?

Sasuke jerked Naruto's body in to him, clenching his collar in his hand. Sure, his vision was spotty, and every now and again, the room would spin around him. But he needed this. He needed him. Sasuke sucked at Naruto's earlobe, biting the flesh and tugging as Naruto moaned.

He whispered into Naruto's ear, his breath softly fogging against it, "If you're going to defy me, do it completely."

Naruto wondered if Sasuke could ever comprehend the effect his words had on him. He felt his own member stiffen in anticipation, eager.

"Don't hold back, Naruto."

Sasuke frantically kissed, sucked, and nipped down Naruto's neck, biting and sucking the skin. He left a plump purple mark behind for Naruto, glimpsing at it with snide satisfaction.

"Oh god… Fuck, Sasuke…"

Naruto's hands picked up, pumping Sasuke rapidly. This was a little hypocritical, wasn't it? Wasn't he trying to get Sasuke to _rest_? But Sasuke would rest. Naruto would make this up to him later. He'd pamper him, fuss over him, soothe him… But the way Sasuke had spoken, and the way he looked, so exposed, so fucking _vulnerable_ for once… He couldn't control himself. He had to make Sasuke beg, had to get inside… He had imagined in such meticulous detail the sounds Sasuke would make as Naruto fucked him, how tight his virgin hole would be as his cock _disappeared_ into him.

There was no guaranteeing Sasuke would allow him to do such a thing, As Naruto's hand picked up pace, Sasuke's eyes clenched tight. Perhaps he was _too_ sensitive. He felt the slightest bit of pain from the friction.

"Dry… There's lube in the drawer."

When had Sasuke bought lube, anyway? Whatever the case, it was making itself useful. Naruto squeezed a dab onto his hand, a slight tingling sensation on Sasuke's cock as Naruto's hand shlicked up and down his erection. Naruto hoisted Sasuke's legs up to rest on his shoulder. Sasuke merely panted, gripping onto the sheets to ground himself.

He felt a lube-slicked digit intrude into his entrance. He gasped.

"Does this feel good, Sasuke?"

Sasuke was panting now, his chest flushing and his toes curling. His bangs hung back, leaving Sasuke's forehead bare. The lean muscles on Sasuke's chest and stomach clenched, and his lips parted just slightly. He looked absolutely _gorgeous_ to Naruto.

"Yes…"

He'd move slowly. After all, Sasuke wasn't exactly used to this sort of thing. Sasuke's cock was now at half mast, and Naruto's personals ached with neglect. He cleared his finger in to the second knuckle, his thrusting gentle and shallow.

Sasuke felt so open with his body in this position. Naruto must have had a perfect view – not that there was anything wrong with that. Sasuke hadn't much considered being penetrated, but in such a frame of mind… He didn't mind it. No, rather, it made him greedy, comforted…owned. The mood seemed to slowly drift from angry and savage to compassionate and soft. He had felt awfully small today, awfully weak. But now he felt so safe.

And Naruto's entire finger was inside of him now. He writhed silently, enjoying every moment. Naruto had been so patient, and Sasuke had been so exhausted that he had managed to relax completely. Sasuke's eyes drifted downward as Naruto took Sasuke's cock in his mouth, bobbing quickly. When Naruto dragged his tongue along the vein on his manhood's underside, it made his fists clench blond tufts of hair, made him hold his breath.

"Yes…" Sasuke whispered. "Shit…"

Naruto sucked at the base, but as he reached the tip, he pulled his tongue back and suctioned hard, drawing Sasuke's orgasm to the surface. He kept his pace. How long could Sasuke last? The salty taste of Sasuke's precum alerted Naruto that he wouldn't be much longer. Sasuke felt the heat of his body sink to his lower regions. Not already…

He had to hold on. He couldn't cum so easily. He had pride at stake here, after all. And he was sick, and fevered, and maybe even a tad bit delusional. It wasn't his fault that he was submitting like this, that he was _enjoying_ this so damned much. It was his fevered mind running away with him, altering him so.

Two fingers now, slid in. They didn't thrust. They merely filled, remaining stationary as Sasuke accustomed himself to them. God, Sasuke was clenching so beautifully around them.

"Oh…god… Naruto, I'm gonna cum…"

Naruto wanted to give him more, wanted to thrust, wanted to overwhelm him completely. But not today. Naruto had decided to be patient, to be gentle. Even as he felt every muscle in Sasuke's body contract, he would discipline himself. Hot cum hit the back of Naruto's throat, and he allowed it to slip back, swallowing.

Sasuke was silent. Barely. He clenched his teeth, shut his eyes, breathed in deep. Several spurts. His fingers and toes tingled, his body felt heavy and soft. And Naruto was still inside of him.

"Sasuke, you looked…beautiful."

Sasuke had half a mind to be offended by that. Beautiful? Could men be beautiful? But Naruto was staring at him now, his eyes soft and blue, a smile every bit as warm as his eyes on his tanned face. Sasuke smiled back, his mouth shut now. He felt a drop of sweat descend his temple, but he did nothing. The two fingers began to withdraw. Sasuke reached down and grabbed Naruto's wrist.

"No… Not yet."

Several seconds passed. Sasuke was still, taking a deep breath and licking his lips as if contemplating his next move. He had to compose himself, waiting for the warmth and sluggish malaise of his orgasm to fade.

"Deeper…"

Naruto arched a brow. Already? Was Sasuke serious? Naruto hesitated. Sasuke was ill. He didn't want to overwhelm Sasuke, to stress his body. And Sasuke did look overwhelmed, but in the best of ways.

"'S okay. Keep going."

Naruto began to thrust, so gently that Sasuke's brows knit in frustration. Hell, he was a little sick, but he wasn't an invalid. He pushed his weight into Naruto's finger by pulling back his thighs, his upper legs still resting on Naruto's shoulders. He lifted himself on and off, forcing Naruto's fingers in and out. Sweat was beginning to build on the back of Sasuke's knees.

"You're being greedy."

"You're being stingy," Sasuke rebutted, his voice a little cross.

"Sasuke, you're not feeling well."

"That didn't stop you from hitting me in the face." Sasuke was panting, forcing Naruto's fingers in deeper. "Now stop being a pussy and fill me."

Naruto _ached_. He couldn't expect Sasuke to reciprocate too much. Not in this state. But if Sasuke was going to boss him around like that, when it took all of his power to be so cautious… He'd asked for it, after all.

Three fingers, thrusting slow, then fast. Faster. Sasuke moaned, feeling a twang of pain.

"Relax, babe."

Sasuke nodded, finding that the sting subsided. It was a little strange. He'd been fingered before, but he'd never had three fingers inside of him. But the thrusting made his body slowly acclimatize to it, and now, already, he wanted more. He didn't think he'd _ever_ want this. This wasn't him. So why? His head lashed to the side, and he was already becoming stiff again.

"N-Naruto… Fuck, it's not enough."

Naruto stared down at Sasuke, his face bright red, causing the bed to creak as he bounced slowly up and down. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's shoulder, his arm, flattened his palm on his chest, brushed his thumb over Naruto's nipple… His hands were hurried, finding no purchase but wandering mindlessly.

Naruto first removed his fingers, then squeezed the lube onto Sasuke's ass, the clear substance leaking into Sasuke's gaping hole.

"You…son of a bitch…" Sasuke breathed at the fingers' absence, glaring down at Naruto venomously until he felt the head of Naruto's cock, softly pressing at his pucker.

Sasuke gasped, stiffened, stared down at Naruto with shaking irises. This… He'd fantasized about this, though he was ashamed to admit it. Sure, he'd dreamt about filling Naruto to the brim. Dreamt of making him scream, making him his. But this? No, this had occupied his fantasies all the same. It felt so dirty, so humiliating, so forbidden, and it made it all the more arousing.

"N-Naru…"

His voice had lost its poison, now sweet and gentle. Naruto pushed his cock, aching for release, just against Sasuke's pucker, expanding it ever so slightly but not penetrating.

"Sasuke, I won't push you. I wanna make sure you're ready."

Naruto was sweating, every bit as uncertain as Sasuke, in actuality. Yes, he was hot. His orgasm was being so relentlessly delayed. But he'd never done this before. He'd never penetrated, or been penetrated. He could only assume what should be done. What if he made a mistake? Could he really do this? He wanted to _impress_ Sasuke, but doing so was never an easy task.

Yet he was so excited. Both of them were. Some tumultuous mixture of eagerness, excitement, nervousness, and joy. Sasuke was okay with this. He'd never been overly sentimental, but there had been a reason he'd kept his virginity, after all. He was alright with, no, enthralled with the fact Naruto would be his first. Naruto was kind, sweet, and so untainted, so understanding despite all the reasons he'd been given to be anything but. One of the few people who had ever gotten to know him worth a damn, who _still_ saw someone deserving of partnership.

Naruto was weak. He should wait, but with Sasuke's body practically begging… The man underneath him had taken him off the streets, cleaned his wounds, fed him, and had likely saved his life. Sasuke had seen past what he appeared to be – a hopeless vagrant. But it transcended simple gratitude. Sasuke was so confident, strong, intelligent, yet so critically damaged. Sasuke wasn't perfect, but Naruto knew now that he _loved_ him.

Sasuke nodded.

"This is what I want, Naruto. Please…"

Sasuke held his breath subconsciously. It was actually happening. Naruto licked his lips again. Sasuke's legs still rested on Naruto's shoulders, and the Uchiha reached down and placed his palm against Naruto's cheek, the blond kissing it then nuzzling into it. He pushed himself forward.

Again, Sasuke gasped, whimpered so quietly that only he himself could hear. The head of Naruto's cock breeched his hole. Naruto bit his tongue. God, Sasuke was tight, his hole twitching, clenching around Naruto's swollen head. He was inside of him, owning him, and he fought the suspicion that his senses were deceiving him, that he was dreaming. He really was taking Sasuke.

Naruto lowered several inches down, pumping shallowly. Naruto moaned shamelessly. Sasuke felt his stomach begin to sweat, felt himself grow dizzy. Naruto stopped his movements abruptly, only continuing after Sasuke nodded him onward. The way Sasuke's mouth hung open, the corners of his lips just slightly raised… Naruto etched it into his memory.

"Damn, S-Sasu… You feel so good. Amazing. You're amazing."

Ever so slowly, he pushed deeper. His cock was being squeezed, just gently by Sasuke's insides. It was unreal, dreamlike. He'd heard people call their first times overrated, awkward, but with them, awkwardness didn't seem to matter. Just pleasure. Naruto mewled.

"N-Nar… It's so good. Shit…"

He relaxed himself, breathed deep, willed his body calm. So sensitive, yet so good. The room seemed to vanish. He didn't smell his room anymore, and the sheets had lost all texture. He was forgetting today. Forgetting finding his brother in such disarray, forgetting the hospitals, the doctors, his parents… All he saw, all he felt was Naruto. And he was happy, and safe, and loved.

Eye contact. Naruto kissed Sasuke's calf, reached down and pet his forehead, stroked his hair as he began to pump harder and faster. Sasuke was completely stiff, and finally, finally Naruto was enveloped. After how long he had held out, it felt phenomenal. Naruto was already so hard. Harder, faster.

"Yes, fuck, yes!" Sasuke shouted.

This was unlike anything Sasuke had ever experienced, being so full, completely. His body had energy for little else but to _feel_.

"I'm there, Sasuke. I'm gonna cum. Fuck…"

He couldn't hold back anymore. He gripped Sasuke's thigh tightly as his hips bucked, unloading into Sasuke.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke moaned, finding himself so close, so precariously close to a second release. Another spurt filled him. This was Naruto, filling him, owning him, loving him. Naruto fought not to slump, in a stupor now. His eyes, partially closed now, stared at Sasuke as he pumped himself quickly, hurriedly, wanting to join his lover as quickly as he could. Sasuke was covered in sweat, Naruto's spunk leaking out of his hole, greedy, unashamed, sprinting his way towards the finish line. Naruto would be sure to memorize this.

And finally Sasuke unleashed, grunting with pleasure, his own cum splattered around his thighs and stomach. This orgasm was much more intense than the first, leaving him quivering, his hands trembling. Naruto slid out of Sasuke, leaving them both gasping and panting.

Naruto dragged himself up on the bed, next to Sasuke, pulling his head onto his chest. Sasuke obliged, lying there silently, listening to the air enter and exit Naruto's lungs through his ribs and chest. He was content, so blissfully content. Naruto cradled Sasuke into him, the younger male seeming so uncharacteristically small.

In better circumstances, the tables didn't tilt that way. Sasuke was stronger than Naruto, prouder, meaner. In better circumstances, Sasuke would never accept this without a fight, would never allow Naruto's strength to lie above his own. But after today… Maybe that was okay. Maybe it was alright to feel small sometimes. It didn't seem so scary as long as Naruto was there.

Sasuke spoke, his voice tired and lazy as the endorphins percolated amidst his system, "You probably fucked up my calculus grade."

"Sorry," Naruto chuckled

A pause, a comfortable silence, even for Naruto. The chemicals that coursed their veins demanded to be experienced.

"Sasu…I love you."

Sasuke's eyes opened, and he merely stared at the sheets. Love? Love was frightening. But he was safe, wasn't he?

"Yeah."

* * *

Yup, this chapter was pretty much a pile of emotional goo, but it was a fun pile of emotional goo to write.

Hope everyone enjoyed. 'Til next week.


	30. Chapter 28

The next time Sasuke opened his eyes, the sun was resting at its highest point in the sky. His room had become warm, almost uncomfortably so. His head was still resting on Naruto's chest. They must have fallen asleep together. One of Naruto's legs sprawled off of the bed, and he emitted a loud snore. This must've been what had roused him, Sasuke assumed.

According to his bedstand clock, it was almost 1 in the afternoon. Sasuke felt less congested, stronger, and more alert. His headache and nausea had both diminished, and the dizziness was gone. He felt refreshed and in lighter spirits. It was uncanny how much more manageable things could seem after a good sleep.

Sasuke froze as he felt cooled cum on his ass, thighs, and stomach. _Right_. He remembered now so vividly what they had done just before Sasuke had drifted off. The thought made him blush, just softly. No one had to know this, of course.

They weren't virgins anymore, were they? The thought was foreign, almost unreal. Yet his room was unchanged, posters here and there, and the sun at its standard place in the sky. Other than his own memories and his disheveled state, there wasn't a shred of evidence.

And he still couldn't _believe_ he'd let Naruto play the "pitcher," for his first time no less. He must've been in a pretty interesting frame of mind. Yet he didn't regret it. Issues of pride and dominance aside, it had felt _amazing_.

However, experiencing that didn't revoke Sasuke's smoldering passion to plow his entire length into Naruto until the blond screamed out his name. Nothing could ever make him give up on that. He hadn't committed himself to this role, which he intended to make clear, to say the least. Even watching Naruto sleep so obliviously aroused these temptations, but he had stayed home from school for a reason after all.

He couldn't help but feel a little closer to Naruto as he glanced up at Naruto's face, which had not settled into the most attractive expression in his slumber. He remembered how they'd moved together early that morning, before the sun was in full bloom. How they'd felt the very same pleasure in unison, gripping on to each other so tightly. As alluring as the memories were, they didn't make the sensation of drying semen on his nether regions any more pleasant. Sasuke slid himself off of Naruto, cleaning himself off with some tissues at his bedside.

"Mmmnn, S'uke," Naruto groused, finally waking up.

Sasuke didn't answer, throwing a soiled tissue in the trashcan and picking up a clean one.

"G'morning."

"It's afternoon, dumbass," Sasuke replied, his voice healthier than it had been the past several days. His throat had been soothed by sleep.

"I really got you messy, huh?" Naruto asked, snickering with satisfaction.

Sasuke glared back at him.

"That could've been the best hour of my life, just sayin'."

And he'd gotten a smile out of Sasuke now, though a slight one.

"Thank you, Sasuke. I'm so happy you were able to see someone in me who…"

Pretty early in the morning for such kind of talk. Sasuke groaned, cleaning some aftermath off the sheets. God, it had even gotten _there_?

"Sasuke! Are you even listening?!"

"Yeah, I heard you," Sasuke grunted.

Naruto sighed, "I woulda cleaned you up, but… You kinda just went out cold, and I think you even _purred_ at some point. You were sooo frickin' cute. I didn't have the heart to wake you up."

Sasuke stared back at Naruto in pure disbelief.

"Bullshit. Cats purr, not people."

Naruto merely smiled nervously.

"Hey, I'm just tellin' you what I heard! It coulda been a quiet snore I guess. It was hard to tell."

Sasuke continued his task, and Naruto gently grabbed Sasuke's wrist.

"Cut that out. I wanna clean you off."

"No, I got it."

"Nooo," Naruto whined, pulling Sasuke back into him and kissing his shoulder. "I hereby pronounce today…National Pamper Sasuke Day."

"I object."

"Objection overruled."

Sasuke sighed, "Don't I get a say in this? It's my holiday, after all."

Naruto wrapped both arms around Sasuke's chest, the paler boy obviously the larger of the two. The image seemed oddly inverted. Naruto kissed Sasuke's neck, and Sasuke gave a mild half smile.

"Nope."

Naruto was out of bed, completely clean. How had he managed to sneak out of bed without waking Sasuke? Maybe Naruto was a little more graceful than he had thought.

"Now, lemme clean you up…"

Naruto gently hoisted Sasuke out of bed, following Naruto close behind. Sasuke had _still_ managed to keep his shirt on, which saved him at least a little embarrassment.

"Hey, Sasuke… I know there's a bathtub in…" he hesitated. "In Itachi's bathroom."

"Yeah…" Sasuke frowned.

"I wanted to bathe you, but…I mean, if that would be weird for you…"

"It's a disaster in there, Naruto," Sasuke sighed deeply. "I'll clean it up later. Right now I honestly…"

"No, no," Naruto interrupted, smiling at Sasuke.

Naruto guided Sasuke towards the room, the splintered door hanging askew as several screws had been torn out of the frame. The bed was made perfectly, as if Itachi had done it himself. Sasuke's mouth hung ajar with both shock and relief.

"I couldn't have you fuss over that when you already felt so crappy, so I took some liberties. Come on."

But Sasuke merely stood, staring at Itachi's bedroom. It looked as though nothing had even happened, with the obvious exception of the door. It _had_ been a wreck in there. Sweat, vomit, blood, and God knows what else… He'd been dreading this, actually. Dreading everything coming back to him the instant he saw the aftermath, dreading getting down on his hands and knees and scrubbing before the stench got too bad, being so harshly reminded. He gazed back at Naruto, his gratitude obvious.

"Ah… You don't gotta look at me like that. It wasn't much trouble," Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Thank you," Sasuke said quietly.

Naruto blushed darkly, causing Sasuke to smile and smirk. He walked ahead of Naruto now, into the bathroom. The tiles were a perfect white, and even the toilet paper had been rolled to the ideal length. He didn't even know that Naruto possessed the _ability_ to be this tidy.

"Maybe you'll make a good housewife after all."

Naruto bent over into the tub and turned on the hot water. Sasuke didn't mind the location. After all, it wasn't like Itachi ever used it, and it _was_ the only tub in the house. The water had filled up about half way when Naruto stood in the water, chuckling as he kicked it around. He really was like a kid sometimes…

"What are you doing?"

Sasuke had assumed that Naruto was going to bathe him while _he_ lay in the tub. It was small. Far too small for two men.

"Uh… Getting in?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke shook his head.

"There's no room for both of us."

"Hey, only one way to know for sure."

Naruto turned off the water, lying back into the tub. The warmth felt amazing over the chill winter air.

"Get on top of me."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"It'll never work."

"Saaasuke, come oooon. Don't be a little miss prissypants. What's the worst that could happen?"

Sasuke sighed. Well, Naruto _had_ done all of this for him. Maybe he did owe him at least an attempt. He lifted his shirt over his head, much to Naruto's approval, and attempted to lie down on Naruto.

Naruto slipped off to the side, a loud squeak as his skin rubbed against the bathtub floor. The water splashed against the wall. Sasuke fell into the space Naruto's body left, both of them on their sides, legs tangled. Naruto's head was being pushed underwater, so he scrambled to the top, causing Sasuke to be rolled over onto his stomach, the younger fighting to keep his head above water.

"What the _fuck_, Naruto…"

"BREATHE. I CAN'T BREATHE."

Naruto had probably done a 720 with his body at this point, flopping in every possible direction it seemed. Sasuke fought against him, trying to remain still.

"I told you this would never work!"

Naruto coughed.

"Sasuke, you're elbowing me in the chest!"

"Your heel's in my stomach! How did you even _manage_ that?"

"The water! It went up my nose! There's water up my nose!"

This was supposed to be soothing and _romantic_. He'd kind of futzed that one up.

"For Christ's sake…"

The sound of water splashing, the boys grunting, and skin squeaking on the bathtub floor mounted as the boys fought against each other for limited space.

"My nose burns!"

It seemed so quickly that Naruto's body just _happened_ to slide into the correct position, and Sasuke's body compressed perfectly into the bends of Naruto's frame. It was a little awkward, considering that Sasuke was a tad bit larger than Naruto, but it seemed to be working. Both boys froze in their tracks. Finally.

"Hah! I _told_ you so!"

He couldn't be serious…

"I would smack you right now if I weren't so averse to moving."

"Come on, see? We fit perfectly."

Sasuke arched a brow, his voice dry, "Yeah, after we spent a good thirty seconds flopping around each other like a pair of mentally challenged sea mammals."

Naruto guffawed, his laughter echoing off the tile walls. Sasuke's face settled into a smile, his quiet laugh inaudible over Naruto's. The water rested just below Sasuke's chin.

There was no need for shampoo, as Sasuke had cleaned his face and hair earlier that morning. His body, however, was a different story. Naruto lathered up a washcloth, rubbing it against Sasuke's taut shoulder. Sasuke pouted, but he allowed Naruto to slowly scrub his shoulder, then his upper arm, and down to his elbow.

Naruto gently rubbed over Sasuke's forearm, quickly taking note of a long but faint scar running down it. Naruto hummed an unrecognizable tune softly as he held Sasuke's hand upward. He meticulously scrubbed over his palm and each and every digit. Sasuke really _was_ being pampered, having such care placed into every detail. A part of him wanted to shoo Naruto away. He didn't need any coddling.

Naruto noticed another scar on Sasuke's shoulder as he moved. None of them were all too horrible, save for a nasty gash on his knee, but there were many… He'd only briefly noticed them before. Any situation in which the two of them were naked together, the mood was generally passionate and lustful. But now, as he scrubbed every inch of skin, he could afford to be more observant.

"Why d'you have so many scars, Sasuke?"

Perhaps not the most tactful way to ask, and Sasuke snickered at Naruto's awkwardness.

"Some sports, but for the most part, fights I got into."

"Fights? About what?" Naruto asked innocently, now moving down Sasuke's left upper arm. The muscles there were strong.

"Anything and everything."

"Oh… 'S hard to believe." Naruto flustered, correcting himself, "I mean, I believe you! But it's just… You almost seem like a robot sometimes."

"A robot?" Sasuke smirked. "I wonder if I should be insulted."

That wasn't exactly a compliment, come to think of it. He was trying so hard to make Sasuke happy, and here he was putting his foot in his mouth at every turn. Dammit.

"Ah…" Sasuke felt Naruto squirm beneath him. "That came out the wrong way. I mean you seem so calm… It's tough to imagine you losing your cool much."

Naruto was blushing as he scrubbed Sasuke's elbow.

"Not very good with words today, are you?"

Naruto playfully flicked the back of Sasuke's head, his finger lost to the thick black locks.

"I was different back then. Me against the world, I thought."

He had lashed out. Soon after the accident, his temper was almost impossible to contain. He rarely yelled at people, but he would quickly snap back at them. He wanted nothing to do with them. He was quick to disrespect and dismiss. He'd brought tears to Sakura's eyes on several occasions, and though he'd generally apologize later, the fact remained.

In other situations, it wasn't solely his temper… It was the simple fact that he enjoyed causing people pain when they had it coming. He loved watching them suffer, asserting his _control_. These were all variables he could manipulate, and these worthless imbeciles would be under _his_ control as he pummeled them senseless. Because this was indeed one of the few things he could truly control.

Sai's broken nose was by no means the first or even the worst damage he'd caused. It had simply been the final straw, and for the sake of his brother and his future, he agonizingly forced himself to straighten out. Yet this spark resourcefully found new outlets, from shoplifting to the company he kept. And even now, it still hadn't been removed from him. He just found other things more important: like the blond he was cradled into right now, for instance.

Naruto craned his head downward and kissed Sasuke's neck, then his jawbone. He gently inclined Sasuke's jaw backwards, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"I like who you are, Sasuke, but I think I woulda liked you either way. It's not always so obvious at first, but you're a really good person."

Naruto still said this? The compliment no longer panged him with guilt or melancholy. Naruto knew who Sasuke was and what he did, and he still made this call. But did Sasuke agree? He honestly didn't know.

"I'm a good person, alright. I'm a fucking saint."

Naruto chuckled, "Don't get ahead of yourself, bastard."

Sasuke snickered, feeling comfortable as Naruto scrubbed his hand, and now his chest.

"Naruto…"

"Yeah, Sasuke?"

"What about _your_ scars? You've explained a few, but…"

Sasuke didn't need to continue. They were both aware of what he was referring to. Naruto's limbs were scattered with milder scars, and there was a pretty brutal one spanning his shoulder blades. The scar was about seven inches long and thickly indented. Naruto stared down at Sasuke.

"You said it yourself. I'm clumsy."

Naruto moved the cloth from Sasuke's chest to his back.

"Naruto…" Sasuke sighed skeptically.

"No, I'm serious!"

"Well, then what about the one on your back?"

Naruto paused. It was, without a doubt, the largest scar on his body, violent and deep. Sasuke stared at the water beneath them.

"When I was ten, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to skateboard down the tallest slide in the county. And that's just what I did."

Sasuke tilted his head back, arching a brow.

"You're fucking serious?"

"What were you expecting? Some tragic backstory?"

Sasuke shook his head, sighing, rolling his eyes, but chuckling under his breath. It was a fair enough assumption, given the scars on Naruto's face and the new addition to his tailbone, courtesy of that nameless vagrant Sasuke never did get to destroy.

"'S not funny! That bitch needed _thirty-seven_ stitches!"

"God, you were every bit as stupid then as you are now."

Naruto knew how he'd retaliate. Tickling fingers searched for success along Sasuke's trunk and neck, their efforts futile.

"The hell are you doing?"

"I'm trying to tickle you."

"Good luck with that."

Naruto grunted, reaching around and pinching Sasuke's nipple. Sasuke jerked in surprise, soon after grabbing a few of Naruto's leg hairs and pulling. Naruto emitted a high yelp.

"Fine, fine," Naruto grumbled. He now was scrubbing Sasuke's ass and thighs, between the two of them. Fortunately the water had taken most of the debris from Sasuke's body, but he scrubbed regardless. Naruto felt a sweat begin to work up on his forehead and neck.

"Here…" Naruto handed Sasuke the washcloth, blushing slightly. "Take care of this part yourself. I don't trust myself."

Sasuke made quick work of it. It was nice to finally feel _clean_ again. Naruto pulled the washcloth out of Sasuke's hands and attempted to scrub Sasuke's legs, which seemed all but possible in this position.

"Should we…" Naruto paused, considering his words before proposing the unthinkable, "…Move?"

Naruto did have a point. Besides, he was getting a little tired of being in such a…dare he say, vulnerable position.

"We plan first."

Naruto nodded fervently. Neither of them wanted a repeat of their first attempt.

"Okay…" Sasuke answered, pausing to think. "So in the end, we're going to face each other at opposite sides of the tub. Our legs will overlap each other."

"Got it."

"You will slide out from under me. Let my body balance on the tub as you move farther back. Once your legs are on your half of the tub, I will lift myself up and pivot, then slide to my end of the tub. Understand?"

"Just like Twister!"

"There's no rush. Slow, _controlled_ movements, Naruto."

"Yeah yeah. I'm goin."

Dammit, he was supposed to wait for Sasuke's approval. His lower half slid back quickly. It was so tight, and there was hardly any room for Naruto's body to back into. Sasuke gripped both sides of the tub as he scooched forward. Good.

"Easy…" Sasuke cautioned. "I'm going to pivot in a few seconds. I'll tell you when."

There was a swear and a flop, and Naruto's head slammed into the brim of the tub as his entire body twisted. How Naruto had even ended up in this position, Sasuke hadn't the slightest clue. But his rapidly twirling legs took Sasuke with him. Sasuke pushed himself back from a near collision with the tub wall, struggling to get the top end of his body to the opposite side. And there was flopping, and splashing, and the familiar squeak of their bodies against the tub bottom.

"This is what you call 'controlled movements,' Naruto? _Really_?"

Naruto gurgled loudly, and it was safe to assume that Sasuke's complaint had fallen upon deaf, water-muffled ears. Sasuke was pushy this time, forcing himself to the other end. Finally Naruto emerged from underwater, sputtering.

"Are you brain damaged?!" Sasuke snapped.

Sasuke's previously dry hair was now drenched, and he stroked it backwards. It had an uncanny way of transforming his entire face, his forehead completely bare.

"You weren't doin' it right!" Naruto coughed.

"There was hardly anything to do! All you had to do was slide yo…"

"I was put on the spot!"

"It's not brain surgery, Naruto!"

"You pivoted too fast!"

"I wasn't even pivoting yet!"

Naruto pointed accusatorily, "Don't lie to me! You _pivoted_."

"You…" Sasuke paused, looking a little conflicted before continuing. "You're bleeding."

"What?!" Naruto demanded, his voice venturing a tad bit higher than he would have liked to admit.

Sure enough, a diluted trail of blood was streaming from Naruto's temple and down his cheek. Naruto croaked as he saw a dab hit the water.

"Stop whining."

Sasuke moved closer to Naruto, and Naruto couldn't help but stare at Sasuke as his damp face came so close to his, staring at Naruto's forehead intently. A plump drop of bathwater dribbled down Sasuke's outer cheek, and Naruto noted the creases of Sasuke's pale lips in detail. Sasuke moved Naruto's hair out of the laceration, gently soaping it. After all, though the bathwater was a bit sudsy, Sasuke hadn't been exactly clean before getting in.

"It's not bad. You must've just busted a capillary."

"I never said it was bad," Naruto answered defensively.

Sasuke smirked, using fresh water from the faucet behind him to rinse the wound off. It had been tended to, yet Sasuke continued to stare. Quite closely, actually.

"Uh… Not to be rude, but can I help you with anything, Sasuke?"

"You need to shave."

Naruto stared back at Sasuke for a moment, rubbing his palm over his upper lip and chin. He _did_ feel a bit of hair growing in, but it seemed spotty.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Ah… Okay then…" Naruto answered his eyes drifting nervously. He couldn't say it. He wouldn't admit it. Not to that bastard.

"You don't know how to shave, do you?"

"Of course I know how to shave!" Naruto answered defensively.

"You haven't asked for a razor even once since you've lived here."

Dammit, what sixteen-year-old male didn't know how to shave? It wasn't his fault his facial hair had come in so late!

"Well yeah, cuz I don't need to shave much. But I still know how."

"Alright. I'll get you a razor, and you can take care of it then."

Naruto was silent. How difficult could it possibly be? You just…drag the thing down your face, right? He'd seen it in on TV and in movies. It didn't look challenging. But then again, he didn't know if his pride could handle Sasuke finding him with a face full of knicks. And knowing himself… Well, he was Uzumaki Naruto. How could anything _ever_ go wrong?

Sasuke smirked, obviously understanding the situation from the start. He had wanted to watch Naruto suffer a little first, but he'd had his fun now. Naruto blushed lightly and stared towards the wall.

"Though…" Sasuke felt his own chin. "I guess I'm getting a little stubble. I'll join you."

It was humiliating enough that his boyfriend had to be the one to teach him how to shave. In fact, the very same day that he took Sasuke's virginity, after Naruto had literally plowed inside of him, _Sasuke_ had to be the one to teach Naruto how to shave? What kind of perverse irony had fate bestowed upon him? At least Sasuke was being subtle about it. Proof that he wasn't a _total_ dick.

Naruto finished washing Sasuke's legs, and finally the two of them were clean. They drained the tub and stood, drying off their bodies and wrapping their towels around their waists. It would be best to do this in Itachi's bathroom, Sasuke decided. The bathroom counter and mirror were both longer. Otherwise they'd be feuding over precious counter space and Sasuke's portrait sized bathroom mirror.

Sasuke came back with both his razor as well as a disposable one, and some shaving cream. He shut the drain and filled it up with cold water. They stood next to each other, Sasuke's height reaching a couple of inches above Naruto's. Sasuke placed the shaving cream on the counter between them, lathering some into his palms and rubbing it against his chin, jaw, and cheeks. Sasuke wasn't lying, actually. He was due for a shave, and his favorite time for doing so was just after showers.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke nervously, attempting to be inconspicuous. Sasuke saw Naruto perfectly out of his periphery, and even out of the mirror for that matter, but he mercifully pretended not to. Naruto fetched himself a generous (_very_ generous) handful of shaming cream and rubbed it onto his skin. Sasuke was using his left hand to pull his skin taut, slowly moving from his left sideburns towards the center of his face.

Naruto, meanwhile, stared at his razor for a bit. He dragged the razor in a long stroke down the side of his face. It was difficult to see if this had been successful or not. In retrospect, maybe he didn't need so much shaving cream. Just to make sure he'd gotten all of his hair, he shaved from his chin towards the top of his head, in a long haphazard stroke.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're supposed to shave with the grain, not against it."

"Grain? Like…as in grains?"

"You're supposed to shave in the same direction the hair grows," Sasuke sighed, frustrated. "Only go against if you're in a pinch, or you'll give yourself razor burn."

"I already know that," Naruto grumbled. "You weren't paying attention. I _was_ in a pinch."

"How are you supposed to even know if you've gotten a clean shave or not with that much shaving cream on your face? You look like Santa Claus."

Sasuke ran his finger down the part of Naruto's face that he had attempted to shave, pushing some of the cream aside. Sure enough, a faint streak of blood had formed. He'd already managed to knick himself? Naruto was rather injury prone today, it seemed. Wheat brows knit together.

"Naruto," Sasuke exhaled, "Do you want me to teach you how to shave or not?"

"Fine," Naruto said quietly, huffing. It was embarrassing, yes, but he might as well admit it and get it over with.

"Clean your razor."

Sasuke twirled his own in the sink, getting off any shaving cream and hair left behind. Naruto followed suit, splashing just a bit.

"Use your opposite hand to stretch the skin, and then just shave downwards in short brushes. Don't use much pressure."

Naruto slowly dragged the razor down his cheek again. He could do this, right? As much as he hated to admit it, Sasuke really _was_ helping him here.

"Don't shave at that angle. It's too easy to knick yourself. Try to keep the blades more parallel with the skin, like this."

Naruto watched Sasuke and nodded. Easy enough.

"Like this?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

Sasuke hadn't expected to teach someone how to shave any time soon. He didn't mind it, however. Actually, a smaller part of him enjoyed instructing Naruto, showing him these things. Sasuke occasionally glanced over at Naruto to make sure he wasn't doing anything too stupid. Naruto was doing reasonably well, though he was leaving thin streaks of hair behind every now and again.

"You're missing some spots. Try to work on smaller sections at once."

"Okay, okay, I'll get to them," Naruto answered impatiently.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, and Naruto knicked himself again.

"Dammit! What am I doing wrong?"

"It happens to everyone. You just need practice."

Naruto nodded, staring in the mirror intensely. He had to get this right. If he was careful enough, moved slowly enough, he wouldn't knick himself. Maybe Sasuke would be proud of him then, would be surprised at how quickly Naruto had learned.

Sasuke remembered standing beside his father in Naruto's position, wondering why the man hadn't just let Sasuke learn himself. After his first several strokes, he began to see why. But his father was patient, uncharacteristically so. Sasuke wanted to do this perfectly, wanted to impress his father. Sasuke was frustrated when he saw his first speck of blood, but his father had merely smiled.

"You're growing up now," his father had said.

They stood on a maroon plush rug, working over a pair of simple yet elegant sinks. Sasuke had frowned.

"Yeah, well growing up is a pain in the… A hassle."

Fugaku chuckled, and Sasuke recalled his father's laugh at that particular time so specifically. This was one of the last memories Sasuke had of his father. He smiled, glancing at Naruto, who was taking this very seriously now. Naruto was appearing to get into the groove, and shaving was soon demanding less of his mental energy.

"Sasuke…"

"Hm?"

"When did you start shaving?"

"Fourteen."

Naruto was visibly discouraged. So early! Was he just a late bloomer? Naruto's frown didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke.

"One of the curses of a pale complexion and dark hair."

Really, Naruto needn't be so embarrassed. As Sasuke had said himself, their complexions were very different. There was also the fact that Naruto had been severely malnourished for the past year, which could have well delayed puberty for him. As much as Sasuke enjoyed teasing Naruto, he did not enjoy seeing him genuinely insecure.

Naruto nodded, feeling a little reassured by Sasuke's words. Maybe it really was just because of his complexion, as Sasuke said? With a face as pale as Sasuke's, and hair so black, Sasuke probably couldn't get away with much.

"How often do you shave?"

"About three or four times a month, these days. But I have to do it more often the older I get."

"Have you ever thought of growing it out?"

"You mean like…a beard or something? A mustache?" Sasuke perked his eyebrow. The idea of his face with either one of those was repugnant to Sasuke. Besides, he didn't think his facial hair was even thick enough for that yet.

"No, I mean just a little stubble. Christ, that would be sexy."

"I'll think about it."

Finally they were done, though Naruto now had a couple small pieces of paper towel on his face. Naruto had graciously volunteered to cook Sasuke breakfast. Sasuke hesitated. The nausea had diminished, but he was uncertain of whether he could digest even the safest of foods. Naruto's cooking? Well, that remained to be seen.

Naruto watched the eggs with utmost dedication. They must be fluffy, not a bit crusty or hard. They must be cooked evenly. He kept the heat on low. This is what Sasuke had told him to do. He wouldn't fail, no. But now… What had happened? A piece of notebook paper by the stove had caught fire. Fuck. He reached in. It didn't matter if he burned himself. Sasuke could _not_ smell that smoke, not after everything that had happened. He fortunately made it to the sink before he'd been burnt.

And there it was. The scent of smoke. Sasuke's palms sweated, and his chest tightened. He _hated_ that smell, yet he ignored it. The grating screech of the smoke alarm. Sasuke covered his ears, pretending to be annoyed by the sound rather than perturbed. He heard clamoring of metal in the kitchen as Naruto quickly slapped a pot over the smoke alarm, racing in immediately to check on Sasuke, who was sitting on the couch.

"Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," Sasuke mumbled, sounding a little winded.

He'd been trying to cook a meal for the guy, and he'd just set off a smoke alarm. A smoke alarm of all things, after Sasuke lost his parents in a _fire _and was allegedly prone to panic attacks. Every attempt he made at making Sasuke feel better was exploding in his face. The bath, now this… Could he get _anything_ right?

Naruto sat down with Sasuke on the couch, wrapping his arm around Sasuke's shoulder and pulling the Uchiha into him.

"I told you, I'm fine."

As pushy as he could be at times, Naruto was a welcome distraction. Naruto kissed Sasuke lightly, their lips briefly pecking together. It was unnecessary. Sasuke could handle such a trivial thing. The fire alarm had finally stopped.

"I'm sorry… I really wanted to make things easier on you today, and… I'm just making everything worse and causing hassles left and right. That's…really all I ever do, huh?"

Naruto shot up, waving at Sasuke dismissively.

"Fuck, sorry, sorry. Ignore that."

He hadn't meant to say that. He really hadn't. He'd always been told he should think before he spoke. Today was about Sasuke. Sasuke had so many issues to deal with at the moment that they made Naruto's head spin. He did not want to burden Sasuke with the additional responsibility of consoling his bruised ego.

"Naruto…" Sasuke frowned. There were a lot of things he could've said. Naruto had been the one holding him together. If Naruto hadn't been there, what would he be doing now? How much farther would he have drifted?

"You _are_ helpful. I'm glad I don't have to do this alone."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke, but Sasuke had begun to stare off.

"'S wrong, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Saaasuke…" Naruto weedled, poking Sasuke in the side. Sasuke grunted. "I wanted to make you happy today. Is there a pesky little thought getting in my way?"

Sasuke sighed, "Just… I feel like I shouldn't be lazing around like this. With winter break coming up, people are gonna be more eager to buy, and there's a lot of money to be made."

He hadn't wanted to mention this in front of Naruto. He knew Naruto disapproved, but again, Naruto had insisted that Sasuke be open with him, many, many times. Sasuke hated to admit that he'd started to enjoy Naruto's intrusions.

"I'm really worried about you, Sasuke."

The corners of Sasuke's lips drooped, and Naruto rubbed his right forearm now. Naruto's hand made its way over the thickened scar tissue Sasuke had received in a fight several months ago.

"I'm fine."

"You just found out that the hospital's going to operate on your brother after all. So why not just…stop this?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"There's a followup surgery too, and what about after the operations? What about school and food and medications?"

Silence. Naruto stared at his lap, hesitantly bringing his eyes up to Sasuke.

"What if… What if I could make some money too?"

Sasuke glanced back at Naruto questioningly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw an ad on TV the other day. There's this center a few blocks out where you do like…random labor all day, and they pay you for it?"

Sasuke nodded, "Oh, yeah, my friend did that over a summer. You have to be sixteen though."

"Well, one good thing that psychopath of a foster parent did… He got me an ID."

"You're saying… That's a risk, Naruto."

Naruto sighed, "Yeah, but you're taking a pretty big risk yourself. A very stupid, reckless risk. Besides, think about it… They pay you in cash the same day, they said. Which means it's probably under the table, which means that they can't find me through my paycheck, right?"

Sasuke perked a brow. How did Naruto know these things, anyway?

"Yeah, Suigetsu just said they gave him a couple twenty's at the end of the day. You just show 'em an ID or something and get to work if they need you."

"Forty bucks?!" Naruto beamed. "I could do that every day! That's…I suck at math, but that's somethin', right?"

He would've volunteered odd jobs long before, but he couldn't exactly be coming and going on a whim with Itachi's schedule so unpredictable.

"You do understand the risks, right? The more you put yourself out there, the more likely it is…"

Naruto had been frightened by the prospect, yes. It _was_ a risk. Hiding out in a park was one thing, but working with a wide variety of people and clients, actually going through an _agency_… Yet things with Itachi had escalated so quickly. And honestly, just seeing Sasuke suffer so much that morning, hearing him come completely undone… He _had_ to do something.

"Yeah, I know. But it's not like I haven't spent most of the last year in public, right? 'Sides, I think I'm getting cabin fever. Haven't you ever seen the movies?"

The idea excited him almost as much as it frightened him. He was glad to finally have the ability to help out, to finally serve a purpose. He imagined that Sasuke often felt the same throughout his relationship with Itachi. And it was also true that he was getting pretty damned sick of the same rooms day in and day out. He couldn't believe he would even think this, but what he wouldn't give for the outdoors and sunlight…

"When I was on the streets, I just kept moving farther and farther out, so I wouldn't get caught. The only reason I stayed here so long was…"

Sasuke snickered, "Because you couldn't resist me, hm?"

"You're a douchebag," Naruto laughed. "I just want you to stop doing this, Sasuke," he added, his voice quieting.

With a frown, the paler male decided to only respond to what suited him, "To be honest, the beach was only closed up for trash pickup for a couple weeks."

"So you were really going to the park on purpose?"

It had been a little awkward to admit, though it had served as a distraction.

"Yeah… If I was gonna pick up trash all day anyway, I might as well have some company."

Naruto beamed, hugging Sasuke tightly. Sasuke cast Naruto back a light smile in return, waiting a moment until speaking again.

"Thank you, Naruto."

"'S fine, don't worry about it. I've been bumming off of ya for months now. And…as horrible as what happened to your brother is, the fact that he's staying in the hospital will make this even safer."

Sasuke nodded, slowly. Yes, his brother. As much as it pained him, it did make his arrangement with Naruto much simpler. It would buy them time. Naruto's remark brought his mind to another very important issue.

"Itachi being admitted to the hospital should buy us a few weeks at least, but Naruto…" Sasuke's eyes stared resolutely into Naruto's. "He's going to find you eventually. We need a plan."

"Yeah…" Naruto answered, frowning and staring towards the ground. Sasuke's words were unpleasant, but this was reality.

"I've been researching the laws. It's a little…confusing."

Sasuke hated to admit this, but he _was_ confused. He researched article upon article, but there was so much legal jargon to sift through, and not everything was black and white. There were so many different conditions to consider, and certain elements were just up to the judge. As prideful as Sasuke was, he would've jumped at the opportunity to ask Itachi for some help.

"You could try to become an emancipated minor, but you'd need to go to court for that. It takes a while and is expensive. Or you can just…go back to..."

"I'm not going back," Naruto insisted, stubbornly.

"Naruto…" Sasuke sighed. "I understand your hesitance, but if you were an outsider, what would _you_ suggest to yourself?"

"I'd say it was their decision, because I could never really get what they'd gone through."

He was dismissing Sasuke, rather childishly. Yet he had done the same for Sasuke. As much as he despised the idea of Sasuke's current vocation, in the end, it was Sasuke's decision. He could not comprehend what Sasuke was going through, losing both parents and now possibly even his last remaining kin, though this was admittedly unlikely. Whether he liked it or not, Sasuke's efforts very well could reduce his brother's risks.

Over the past several months, they had become very familiar with each other. They defended each other, protected each other, and supported each other when no one else would. They related to each other on a level that neither them had even believed to be possible. Yet despite this, there were things about each of them that the other would never understand. But to Sasuke, Naruto's remark just sounded like stubbornness.

"Be logical. What are the chances of something like that-"

"No offense, Sasuke, but you're not one to lecture me on being logical and minding probabilities."

How had the mood shifted so quickly? Whose fault was it? The boys glared at each other, each as annoyed as the other.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked, his voice placid but menacing.

"You're selling drugs, and you know what? Chances are, your brother will be fine, but you aren't taking _that_ into account. You're overreacting, _again_."

Naruto threw his arms up in exasperation. Why was he saying this? Yes, he'd been frustrated with Sasuke's behavior for a long time, but was now really the time to lash out? How could he have told Sasuke that he was overreacting after the past twelve hours' events? Just after Naruto had beaten himself up about somehow maiming all of his attempts to soothe Sasuke's nerves, he was fighting with him?

Sasuke wanted to yell at Naruto, wanted to explain how scared he was and exactly what was at stake here. He wasn't overreacting. He just didn't want something horrible to happen. Sasuke supposed that this was just how Naruto must have felt. Naruto had become defensive, hadn't he? Sasuke wanted to defend himself too, but why?

"Well, you're a big kid," Sasuke spoke calmly, noting their minimal age difference with dry irony. He stood, staring down at Naruto vacantly, "Make the decision yourself."

There were so many other things he could say, so many different ways he could argue his viewpoint or speak up for himself. But when Naruto spoke like that, he wondered if his lover had a point. Perhaps he was overreacting. Perhaps they were both being ruled by their fears. Still, his only motivation in speaking had been to help Naruto. How could Naruto have the nerve to say something like that to him after last night?

It didn't matter. For now, he just wanted to be far away. He hadn't meant what he'd said. He would have time to convince Naruto, to work on him. Perhaps Naruto really could make it on his own, on odds and ends, in a state far away. But what kind of future was that? And selfishly, he thought, he could not let yet another important person disappear from his life.

As Sasuke walked off, so mildly, Naruto's teeth clenched. He would have much preferred a slammed door. What he said had been true. Sasuke _had_ overreacted. The decisions he was making brought the Uchiha family more risk than safety. But still, Naruto should have had the discipline to hold his tongue, at least for now.

Sasuke quietly ascended the stairs. The older male was tempted, for a moment, to follow him. Maybe they'd _both_ been wrong. But how could he apologize when he was still fuming like this? Sasuke was, after all, being hypocritical by being upset. Naruto wasn't exactly in the mood to speak with Sasuke either.

Sasuke had homework to work on. He had more meaningful ways to invest his time. He read his biology textbook for fifteen minutes while lying in bed, stopping to knead at his aching temples every few moments. He only heard silence from the lower floor. What exactly was Naruto doing down there?

Somewhere during the chapter on cellular respiration, his thoughts went black. Perhaps his body still yearned for rest. When the echo of a fist on a door persistently dragged Sasuke out of slumber, it had already become dark. These winter days had grown short.

"Come in," Sasuke grunted.

Naruto had checked up on Sasuke shortly after their disagreement, but upon finding him so deeply in slumber, he had decided to wait until he could finally find a way to prepare a half decent meal for the two of them. As Naruto entered, Sasuke looked up, and their eyes met. Neither of them said anything. They just stared quietly.

"Hey," Naruto frowned, his brows knit together. He was holding a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs, pouting. "I didn't want to throw them away."

Sasuke sighed. It would be petty not to take the meal, but that was what he'd been tempted to do. Instead he propped himself up, taking the plate onto his lap and taking a small and hesitant bite.

"This is better than I've seen you do," he admitted.

Despite Naruto's sour mood, Sasuke's compliment still had full effect. Any compliment from Sasuke did, really. Their silence stretched on, and just as Sasuke reached out for his textbook again, Naruto spoke up.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry. I was being a dick."

"It's fine," the younger murmured, not taking his eyes from his textbook just yet.

"I know you were just trying to help..."

"Yeah," Sasuke responded tersely.

Another pause. A sigh, from Sasuke now.

"I'm sorry, too."

Sasuke thought apologizing would make his previous decisions seem less legitimate or his word less credible. But in speaking it, he had shed a burden. He didn't like the feeling. He didn't enjoy being angry at Naruto. He didn't like fighting him - at least not like this.

The tension diminished but did not terminate. Apologies were wonderful niceties, but apologies did not make decisions. A pensive air seemed to hang around them as they slowly came to terms with the severity of the situation they were in, and the undeniable truth that one way or another, a decision was inevitable.

"You're right, Sasuke," Naruto admitted quietly. "Looking at it, from the outside… I should turn myself in."

Sasuke frowned, leaning forward and wrapping his arm around Naruto. He rested his lips inches from Naruto's ear.

"I'll protect you, Naruto. If anyone fucks with you, I will destroy them."

"I know, Sasuke," Naruto answered with a smile. There was no way Sasuke could promise something like that. "I know."

* * *

**Author's note:**  
(Please read, important.)

I'm going to be leaving for Europe for several weeks. Staying at a friend's house in Istanbul and moving west and north... Yeah, it's a saga.

I mention this because there's going to be some changes in update schedule. I want to ensure that I'm updating consistently and not leaving you guys hanging. So for a few chapters, I'm going to be updating every _other_ week instead of every week.

While I'm gone, my friend, Em (CapturedByNoodles), will be posting my chapters. Shout out for her. :) I will still answer PMs, but my responses might be delayed.

So yeah, I'm sorry about the change in schedule. I'll return to weekly updates when I get back. Thanks for being understanding.


	31. Chapter 29

It was five in the morning when Sasuke's alarm sounded. Today would be Naruto's first day at the labor center. Sasuke's body began to rouse automatically at the familiar sound of his alarm clock, but Naruto placed his palm over Sasuke's eyes before they had a chance to open. Their situations had been reversed.

"Ssh, this is for me. Go back to sleep."

Naruto knew that Sasuke tended to have a difficult time falling asleep once he was awoken – another one of their many dissimilarities. Naruto had uncharacteristically scoured Sasuke's closet for the best outfit last night. In the past, even before he had become homeless, he'd never given his apparel such thought. But this had been his first day in public being anything other than a vagrant in over a year. It was exciting to him, even if he might end up spending the whole day cleaning toilets. Finally, he was a productive member of society. A normal kid, just like anyone else.

The air was icy as he hopped on the bus route. But the sun was bright. He was glad to be spending so much time outside, which was ironic considering. He had left the house fifteen minutes early to avoid any complications. He was to arrive at the center by six exactly. Who would be there? Would they be adults? His age? Could he even make friends? His heart was thudding in his ears as the bus arrived, and there was a wide smile on his face.

He tried to focus on these things rather than what could possibly go wrong. What if someone recognized him? What if he was asked the wrong questions or gave himself away? He'd have to be careful with his words. But there was nothing he could do to make himself any safer at this point, so he tried his best to tune out these thoughts.

"Franklin and Main, Franklin and Main."

Naruto's brows knit. This wasn't a stop he'd been told to expect. He stood now, sauntering over to a sign on the side of the bus that depicted the route and all relevant stops. Shit. He'd gotten on the wrong bus.

He hopped off of the bus. What would he do now? He'd manage. He had to. But what if he was late? He wanted so badly to help. How could he already be getting this wrong? He'd have to keep his head. He used a stranger's cell phone to call the Metro line, and he arrived at the center at 5:57. He'd made it after all. Still flustered, he approached the long line of participants, aging from their teens to late adulthood. All of them, prospective friends. Naruto knew that he would have fun here.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke prepared himself for the school bus. He was mostly over his fever, though he was still plagued by a slight cough. He brought a pack of tissues with him to dab at his runny nose every several minutes. Once he arrived, school stretched out, and Sasuke couldn't decide whether he appreciated this or not. He had some unappealing business to attend to this evening. He also knew that today was Naruto's first day at the labor center. He prayed that everything would go to plan.

After school, he took a bus to the hospital. He would have brought Itachi one of his favorite foods – a chicken sandwich from a local burger joint, but the hospital staff had sternly warned Sasuke against bringing him outside food. Ordinarily, Sasuke might have neglected that rule. However, given that the problem was with Itachi's stomach to begin with, he had decided to play it safe.

He rapped on Itachi's door quietly, not wanting to wake him if he had been able to sleep.

"Come in."

Sasuke pulled up his standard chair and swung it to the bedside before sitting. Itachi was getting too thin, and his skin was a pale white. However, the bags beneath his eyes had diminished, and he was looking livelier than he had yesterday.

"Hey, Sasuke. How was school today?"

"Boring. Anything good on TV today?"

Itachi sighed, his IV tube following his arm as he rested his hand on his forehead. The oxygen tubes to his nose must have been removed last night.

"I have to get over this fever soon so they can just cut me open and send me home. How many paternity test reveals can they possibly air in one day?"

"If anyone asks, I'll send them your way."

Itachi chuckled softly, subduing himself to avoid injury. Sasuke frowned down at Itachi, placing his palm over Itachi's forehead. It was hot, though Sasuke wasn't sure what else to expect.

"How are you feeling? Any better than yesterday?"

"I'm getting better every day," Itachi answered with a smile. "Now stop fussing."

"I'm gonna fuss, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Itachi's expression sunk slightly. His machines beeped quietly in the background.

"Sasuke, are you taking care of yourself? You've been pushing yourself so hard lately."

"That's my line," Sasuke answered wryly.

"I'm serious. You're working at St. Magdalene's, and you were sick yourself. You're so involved with school, and I can tell you're-"

"Stop it, Itachi. I'm fine," Sasuke answered sternly. "Besides, you're not one to lecture me about pushing myself too hard."

A guilty frown.

"I know I made the wrong decision."

When Sasuke continued, his voice was much softer, "You risked everything when you delayed that surgery. Even if you could've gotten away with it, just…don't take risks like that with something so important."

Did he even have a right to scold Itachi? He didn't care what rights he had, really. So what if he was being a hypocrite? The worst Sasuke could get was juvie. Itachi could've died, and he just wanted Itachi to be safe.

"Promise me that you'll never put yourself in that sort of danger again."

"I never wanted to put you through that, Sasuke. I'm not trying to justify what I did, but if not for this horrible stomach flu, it would've worked out just fine. You've been having such a hard time. I just wanted to do what I thought was best for you."

Sasuke shook his head.

"What's best for _me_? You need to think about _yourself_. Your worst flaw is that you never do that."

"But Sasuke, you're still young. You need a father, or someone to take care of you. I'll be fine. I-"

"No. No, you won't," Sasuke interrupted, and ever so slightly, his voice quivered. Sasuke wasn't one for histrionics. But given the situation, his emotions spoke much more loudly. He was so sick of hearing those three words from Itachi: I'll be fine. They meant nothing to him now.

"Look around us! You were so busy thinking about me and about all of your responsibilities that you ended up here. You live your _life_ for other people, for me. What about you! I can take care of myself. Be selfish. Do something just because you enjoy it. I want to see you happy."

Sasuke was well aware that he wasn't any smarter or wiser than Itachi – not by a longshot. He wasn't one to give people life advice, but he felt as though this was sorely needed. His brother constantly sacrificed, slaving to meet his own responsibilities and spreading himself far too thin. He wanted to be the best guardian to Sasuke that he could possibly be.

How many times had Sasuke watched Itachi try to force a smile after spending every waking hour that day working? How many times had Sasuke watched him suppress tears because he wanted to be strong for others? Even before their parents had died, Itachi neglected his own needs to live up to his family's expectations and test his limits. Days ago, Itachi had almost died, but to Sasuke it sometimes seemed that Itachi had hardly been living at all.

"Are you happy?" Sasuke asked, his eyes lingering on the IV in Itachi's hand.

He could count the number of moments he'd had like this with his brother on one hand. In fact, Sasuke rarely got into such conversations at all. Everyone had emotions, and there was generally no need to discuss them. He'd been like his father in those regards. Yet life lately seemed to push him into all sorts of unexpected situations.

"I have been sometimes," Itachi responded, forcing a smile with pale lips. "But… It's rather exhausting to keep it up."

Sasuke stared towards the ground. Was his brother suffering? Over the past year, he'd seldom thought to ask. Sasuke knew that he _himself_ was suffering. That was enough to occupy his thoughts. Itachi quickly noted Sasuke's change of demeanor.

"You know, I haven't been in law school very long. I've really been too busy to make many friends or indulge in many hobbies, though I did go on that ski trip last winter. I haven't had a girlfriend since junior year of undergrad," Itachi stated with a chuckle. "But you're here. When I _am_ happy, you're the reason why."

Sasuke nodded quietly, giving his brother a slight smile.

"We'll have to work on that."

"That's all happiness ever is, Sasuke," Itachi responded, a yawn threatening to deter his speech. "A work in progress."

"Maybe we're just at the preliminary stages, hm?"

"Yeah," Itachi smiled. His eyes were beginning to droop, and his energy was obviously waning. "Maybe so."

* * *

Sasuke left the hospital soon after. He knew that Itachi wouldn't let himself sleep as long as Sasuke was there to keep him company, despite how obviously tired the man was. As much as he wanted to linger, leaving for the day was probably better for both of them. Sasuke raised his hood over his hair, protecting his bare neck from the chill of the December air. His uncomfortably cold nose kept running. He'd reach Eighth and C any time now. Sasuke wasn't looking forward to tonight, his bored fingers toying at the fuzz around his sleeves.

Sasuke couldn't pass up four hundred dollars. Even though Itachi was having his surgery, he'd of course need a follow up, and then aftercare. He was taking a risk here, but this was nothing compared to the risk his brother had taken for the same purpose. Besides, it's not as if this situation were too dire. He was just supervising some business, meeting some guy he cared nothing about, and going on his way.

Kabuto leaned against a stop sign, taking a deep drag as he noticed Sasuke and cast him a curt nod. Sections of bare skin showed around his tank top and grey jacket. As soon as he approached the stop sign, Kabuto cocked his head to the left and motioned for Sasuke to follow him.

"You're late, Uchiha. We value punctuality in this business."

Sasuke arched his brow and gave his cell phone another peek. He could've sworn he'd budgeted precisely enough time to arrive.

"No, you're early."

Kabuto snickered, pushing Sasuke's shoulder.

"I'm just messing with you. Relax."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, frustrated with himself for being tricked. Kabuto did have a point, however. Sasuke's muscles were taut as a drum. He wasn't nervous; he was just fully alert and exercising due precaution. Kabuto extended a carton of Pall Mall's to Sasuke, who gladly accepted the cigarette and the matches. The soft roar of the newly lit match joined the patter of their sneakers on the sidewalk and a distant siren. Sasuke took a couple quick puffs and shook the match off.

They passed a discount store that had long ago been condemned and several wide fields, full of weeds and briars. Sasuke inhaled the nicotine deeply, holding the heat in his lungs as he felt his body relax. Neither spoke, puffing at their cigarettes as their surroundings grew increasingly questionable. The night's chill had made the air seem so clear, and he was sure his front yard would be frosted next morning. The stars above them glowed brightly, as many buildings were vacated and thus provided no light. Sasuke stole a glance from time to time. What he wouldn't give to be home with a telescope rather than here.

"What are you picking up here?"

Kabuto stalled before answering, slowly exhaling a billow of smoke.

"It's harder stuff. Orochimaru both cooks and sells."

Sasuke perked a brow. He knew that this wasn't prescription medication and weed. This was something worse, but what exactly, he didn't know.

"I'm aware of that. I was asking for specifics."

Kabuto shook his head.

"Sasuke, there's no need for these questions. Just stand there, be cool, and learn."

The raven grunted. He was slightly tempted to drop the question. He didn't _want_ to know exactly what they were doing. It remained so much more abstract and comfortable when the details weren't considered, but there was no turning a blind eye to it.

"I deserve to know what I'm walking into."

He didn't like how cagey Kabuto was being about this. It struck him as suspicious, but then again, Kabuto was always suspicious. Sasuke would have to think on his feet. Kabuto seemed to mull the matter over before responding.

"Twack 'n crack."

Crack cocaine and methamphetamines. Sasuke had heard Kabuto and a few seniors use these terms in hypothetical conversation, dryly joking or making references. He'd pieced together what the words meant long before tonight. Sasuke kept his expression constant as they moved, now even gladder for the cigarette in his hand.

He'd never seen either of these substances in his life. Did Kabuto use them himself? Yet what else had Sasuke expected? Honestly, given the things he'd seen out of his periphery at parties and his knowledge of such things, his first guess had been cocaine. Regardless, hearing the actual names unsettled him. His desire to get this over with competed with his desire to never step foot in that door, but his legs kept pace.

"How many people will be there?"

Kabuto shook his head.

"Can't be more than five or six. Oro's guys just kind of lag around there. But that's why you're here."

Sasuke nodded in response, his palms slightly sweaty. They were nearing a set of apartment complexes, a short, barred window facing them on the sidewalk.

"This is the place. Orochimaru's unit is up those stairs."

They had about four flights to go. The gap between each of the short steps was dramatic, each step a simple concrete slab. The narrow rail was a burnt red color, disrupted by the occasional paint chip. Sasuke grasped the railing as he climbed the stairs, now aware of every sensation. He felt a loose piece of paint dig into his palm, quickly moving his hand before it broke the skin. His knees ached with each step, his entire body a little more sensitive due to his lingering sickness. He heard his breath clearly.

The door loomed closer and closer. What was behind it? Who were these people? How did these sorts of things work? How long would it take? He'd be thrilled for a five minute exchange. Here's the drugs, here's the money, thank you and goodbye. The sooner he could leave, the better. Yet he doubted he was getting paid four hundred dollars for something so simple. Why was Kabuto paying him so much? Would this be an incentive for something in the future? Why were Kabuto's answers to his questions so vague?

They had finished their ascent, waiting at Orochimaru's door. This was it. Up until now, it was just weed and pills. He'd sold to high school and college students, most of which were still in their teens. There was hearty laughter and an occasional shout issuing from the room, and he heard something about "that bitch had it fuckin' coming to her." He could not determine how many different voices he was hearing. This would be an experience; he could say this much for sure.

Kabuto knocked on the door four times, a syncopated and obviously intentional rhythm timing each rap. Suddenly, there was total silence behind that door. Footsteps approached resolutely. There was no turning back now; Sasuke had committed himself. They came nearer and nearer. Sasuke's feet seemed to fasten to the ground. The person on the other side could've only been a few feet away. Kabuto grabbed Sasuke's forearm, turning his hand over and placing a heavy object in Sasuke's hand. Kabuto quickly released it, and triggered by natural reflex, Sasuke accepted.

"Just in case," Kabuto whispered.

The sophomore had been so distracted by the situation that the item's change in hands had been no difficult task for Kabuto. Suddenly, Sasuke's chest felt every bit as cold as the lethal metal in his palm. It was a gun.

"Safety's on. Be cool."

The doorknob was turning just as Sasuke processed this data. He was running out of time, with only seconds to spare. He stuffed the handgun in his jacket's inner pocket and did a fantastic impression of boredom and indifference. After all, what would happen to him if Orochimaru saw the gun? There was no time for discussion, no time for questions. The dark night was illuminated as the door opened. Showtime.


	32. Chapter 30

Sasuke only caught a brief glimpse of his weapon before he was forced to hide it. Stowing it in his jacket was probably safer than walking into some drug den with an unconcealed gun in his hand. He'd never even touched a gun, let alone fired one. He took a casual drag off his cigarette, subconsciously hoping to appear both older and more comfortable with his surroundings than he really was. What had he gotten himself into?

For an instant, Sasuke mentally retraced the events in his life that had led him up to this moment. It had started simply enough. He'd sell some odds and ends around school for several weeks, raise the money, and quit. Sure, this wasn't the star pupil behavior Sasuke had been known for in the past, but it wasn't that far from routine teenage rebellion either. Even Suigetsu and Karin were doing it. How had things gotten to this point?

He was fifteen years old. He should be at home playing video games or watching cheap comedies with friends over some microwaved popcorn. He didn't belong here. His mind quickly ran over every action movie or video game he could recall. There was something on the back of the gun you had to pull back… Then you pull the trigger. Wasn't the safety that thing you'd turn on to make sure the gun didn't fire accidentally? Where's the safety, and how do you turn it on and off? He concentrated on the nuances of the gun pressed against his ribs, trying to picture the details in his mind. The thought of having a deadly weapon crammed against his body thoroughly disturbed him, but true to form, Sasuke kept his cool.

He just prayed that he wouldn't have to use this gun. "Just in case"? What the hell did "just in case" mean? If it came to a quick draw and shoot, Sasuke could end up making a fool of himself in the best case scenario, and in the worst case scenario, dead. Kabuto placed the gun in his hand at the very last instant, knowing that the only way to get Sasuke to accept it was to take him by surprise. Was Kabuto trying to frame him? If only for an instant, he wished he could fire it at Kabuto. Maybe bust in his knee cap or something of the like. He was sick of being left in the dark, sick of Kabuto's mind tricks. It had been bad enough when Kabuto drugged him, but this was unprecedented.

The man behind the door was unhealthily thin, his face framed by long and greasy black hair. There were dark circle under his eyes, his chipped front tooth barely revealed through a smirk. He looked to be past forty years old, though it was difficult to judge his true age given how washed up he appeared. Sasuke stood a couple feet behind Kabuto, and Orochimaru's expression became guarded the instant he noticed Sasuke's presence.

"Who's this kid?"

Orochimaru cocked his head towards Sasuke skeptically, holding the door ajar with no more than a foot of space between. He clearly didn't want Sasuke seeing whatever lurked behind it.

"Sasuke. He's that new dealer of mine at Konoha with the Midas touch."

A dealer? He hated the way it sounded. Orochimaru's expression immediately flipped to a smile.

"I've been wanting to meet you, Sasuke. Come in."

Sasuke had half expected Orochimaru to say something generic like "welcome to the jungle." Well, this would make as good of a jungle as any. He only saw out of his periphery, assuming that blatantly staring, and presumably identifying the rooms' inhabitants, would not be well received. There was some…weird apparatus that looked like a chemistry set gone to hell in the room beyond, just close enough to make out the general form. The tubing had yellowed through use, and the flasks, some of which appeared to be substituted with pickle jars, were chipped and sullied with some kind of white residue. Sasuke had no idea what any of those beakers or burners did, and he was sure that staring would be a very unwise decision. What the hell _was_ that?

Furthermore, the way Orochimaru so quickly recognized his name disturbed him. What did Orochimaru and his crew know about him? He was getting pulled into things he wanted nothing to do with. He'd gone from peddling weed, underaged drinking, and petty theft to getting stuck shadowing a meth deal in some sketchy apartment with a lethal weapon shoved in his jacket. The room was obviously unheated, a nervous sweat breaking out on Sasuke's body and quickly cooling from the brisk air. As if his fever weren't already giving him the chills… He was glad his jacket concealed the goosebumps forming on his arms. He was counting down the seconds until he could get this damned gun away from him, go home, shower, down some orange juice, and change into warm pajamas.

Sasuke walked in, standing quietly with his hands neatly clasped.

"You don't talk much, hm, Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked, his voice every bit as greasy as his hair.

"I talk when it's called for."

"That's good. I don't appreciate children who like to run their mouths."

Another gun rested on the living room table, unwatched and strewn indifferently as the couch's occupants fixated on the television. Sasuke took note of this, in the words of Kabuto, "just in case."

"In that case, you won't mind if we get down to business," Sasuke answered.

He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, and the less information he shared, the better. He wouldn't be rude, but he forbade his vulnerabilities to render him a pawn or a sitting duck. He would not hesitate to assert himself, which was a difficult task given that he had a cold .45 stuck on his body that he had no idea how to use and was in a room with seasoned drug dealers twice his age.

Orochimaru stared back at Sasuke expressionlessly, and it seemed as though he analyzed every feature of Sasuke's face. Sasuke wouldn't rattle that easily. Driven by Orochimaru's intense gaze, several other pairs of eyes watched the business casually. Sasuke exuded both confidence and much more experience than he really possessed, and if anything, that image would be the thing to see him through.

Now Orochimaru clucked his tongue, appearing both impressed and amused at Sasuke's audacity.

"Here."

Orochimaru offered Sasuke one large bag of white crystals. It was just several sandwich bags of translucent shards combined into your standard gallon zip lock bag, which seemed awfully informal considering the quantities and finances at stake here. Still, Sasuke felt better off not knowing exactly what was in that bag. He would have rather avoided seeing it altogether.

"Kabuto will take it," Sasuke answered, gesturing to his "partner."

Like hell was he getting near that stuff. For all he knew, Kabuto would try to make him carry it the whole way home. It wouldn't be so different from the stunt he had just pulled with the gun.

"C'mon, Sasuke. This is a good learning experience. Orochimaru taught me everything I know."

"With all due respect, I'm alright with not knowing."

He was inexperienced, yes, but he didn't want to seem totally clueless. And he certainly wouldn't come off as a stuttering, wide-eyed little kid, and thus vulnerable to attack. If he expressed anxiety and doubt, Orochimaru and Kabuto would see this as an opportunity to pressure Sasuke into joining them. Maybe he was in over his head, but Sasuke was no coward. He would hold his own the best he could. Again, Orochimaru's eyes locked with his own.

"Then why are you here?" Orochimaru asked dangerously.

Well hell. This certainly wasn't good. What was he supposed to say? That he was Kabuto's fifteen-year-old bodyguard? He was under pressure, and he found that these were the times during which his brain worked the best. Currently, this was proving to be a very fortunate trait. He would not fluster.

"Kabuto wanted me to meet you, and I have."

He sounded a great deal more confident than he felt. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so entirely out of his element. Other than Kabuto, he had to be the only person in this room under the age of thirty. He wasn't dealing with bored students with too much time on their hands anymore. These were the people who made this stuff their career, who used it to feed themselves and pay the rent. Some of the people in this room could have been doing this for longer than Sasuke had been alive. If that weren't enough to remind him of the severity of his situation, the cold metal on his trunk would take care of matters.

"Well…"

Orochimaru's face seemed to shift from skeptical and guarded to obligatorily courteous, "It's been pleasant, Sasuke. Here."

He handed the supplies to Kabuto, who stuffed them in his backpack. He didn't know the difference between the two chemicals they were picking up, but there seemed to be a hell of a lot of both them. Sasuke wondered if that bizarre looking chemistry set in the adjacent room was responsible. Kabuto gave Sasuke a precounted wad of cash. Sasuke handed it over to Orochimaru, the man looking up at Sasuke closely as their hands met over the money. Orochimaru overextended his palm just slightly, the calloused meat of his palm dragging over the back of Sasuke's.

"I _am_ interested in you, Sasuke. You've got talent, and I need someone… Someone _young_, particularly. You'd be surprised at the money you can make."

Why would he need someone young? Most likely, he was trying to sell to high school and middle school students. They'd be more likely to buy from a fellow student than they would be from someone like…well, Orochimaru.

"I'll take your word for it."

This guy had a knack for giving him the creeps. Orochimaru nonchalantly ripped a page out of the paperback book on the coffee table and scrawled his name and number over the text. It was definitely odd behavior, but he was at least glad that Orochimaru hadn't asked for _his_ phone number.

"I'll give you five hundred bucks for your first sale. If you need the cash, call."

Five hundred bucks? It was like he was being barreled towards his goal. With an offer like that, it wouldn't be long at all. On the other hand, things appeared to be getting dangerous very quickly. Even if his mind totally malfunctioned, which it had not, his gut would have made the decision for him. He had to get out as soon as possible.

"I'll do that, thanks."

And with that, they were out the door. Sasuke felt the temptation to take a deep breath and sigh, but he refrained. He wouldn't let his guard down around Kabuto either. Kabuto turned back at Sasuke, patting his shoulder and smiling.

"Holy shit, well done. You really kept your cool. I was right about you."

Sasuke glared back at Kabuto.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

No. Kabuto could have gotten him imprisoned, or worse, killed. Sasuke pulled his fist back and slammed forward full force. His heart beat loudly, jaw grit shut in anger. It was coming back to him. This is exactly how he had felt when he'd broken Sai's nose. His knuckles connected with Kabuto's face. _Crunch_. His glasses hung, partially bent with one lens falling to the ground. Kabuto appeared nothing short of enraged. And that's when he drove his fist into Kabuto's stomach, followed by a swift uppercut.

Or at least, that's what Sasuke had imagined. It had flashed behind his eyes in a blur, but the sophomore only stood rigidly, his teeth clenched. Every muscle in his body desired to act upon his imagination. But he had to keep his options open, and beyond that, he had no idea what Kabuto was capable of. Sasuke didn't even know how to use the gun in his jacket. Though Kabuto may not have been aware of this, he'd at the very least know that Sasuke would be reluctant to use it. So Sasuke would use his brain this time around. Scanning the area for onlookers, he noted that the streets were completely empty.

"Take your fucking gun back."

Sasuke shoved the weapon, point down, at Kabuto's stomach. The safety was still on (or so Kabuto had claimed). Still, he took care with the trigger. One could never be too careful.

"Easy. Don't go whipping that thing out."

When Kabuto took the gun from him, Sasuke literally felt as though a weight had been lifted off of his chest. He'd heard the expression before, but only now did he _really_ understand what it was referring to.

"The hell were you thinking? Does anything _other_ than bullshit ever leave your mouth?"

Kabuto rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Sasuke. I'll be understanding and let you accusing me of lying, which I never fucking did, slide. I'm sure this has been a stressful night for you. But has anyone been hurt? Are you getting arrested now?"

Sasuke kept his silence. Of course Kabuto had lied to him. How else could he have gotten Sasuke in that situation? Sasuke combed over all relevant events in his head, searching for the point where Kabuto had fed him false information. He found none. He supposed that this was the really scary thing about Kabuto. He had gotten Sasuke to barge into a drug den, armed with a gun, without uttering a single falsehood. His only tool had been manipulation, and Sasuke had been played expertly.

"You're damned lucky we're not dead, because if people had started shooting, we'd have been fucked. It doesn't seem too bright to enlist a fifteen-year-old bodyguard."

Kabuto sighed, shaking his head, "Age has nothing to do with it. There's safety in numbers, and I've seen you fight. You're a good fighter, but even more than that, you have this intensity about you…"

Sasuke deadpanned. Was this guy for real?

"'Intensity' isn't going to teach me how to fire a gun."

"Intensity and a few minutes with me, and you'll be able to shoot the .45 you just shoved at me well enough for what you'd need it for. Don't doubt yourself so much. You and I both know you're a violent person. In the situation, if you _really_ had to, I know you could pull the trigger. I can't say that about our other friends."

He hated when Kabuto talked to him like this. Like he was trying to understand Sasuke, or identify with him. He knew that the two of them were nothing alike. But perhaps he really was a violent person, as Kabuto said. He could only attempt to hide this, for the sake of the things that really mattered to him.

"How about not putting me in situations where I _really_ have to shoot someone?" Sasuke snapped back.

Kabuto chuckled, as if Sasuke were just being obstinate.

"C'mon, Sasuke. The gun was just a precaution. Everything's fine!"

Sasuke didn't see a point in distinguishing what happened from what _could_ have happened. He was sure that there were many things about this situation which he still did not know, but he knew enough to realize that this uncomfortably brisk Thursday night could have been his last.

"Give me the money."

Kabuto crossed his arms as he pulled out another wad of cash.

"Don't be pissed. Look, next time I'll fill you in, okay?"

Sasuke shoved the money in his pocket.

"Who says there's a next time?"

And with that, Sasuke parted ways, storming off into the brisk night air with four hundred bucks in his pocket and goosebumps still speckling his arms.


	33. Chapter 31

Sasuke stormed down the streets for the next mile. He'd been so angry that he had walked right past his bus stop, which was just fine with him. As badly as he had wanted to go home earlier tonight, he needed his privacy now. He knew that Naruto would be asking him questions the instant the door opened, maybe trying to start some meaningless conversation or shower him in affections. Normally, that was just fine. It was what they did. But not tonight.

How could he speak to Naruto after everything that had just happened? How would he be able to pretend that this had just been as boring of a night as any? He hoped that today had gone better for Naruto than it had for him. Without his knowledge, his steps had slowed. He glanced down at his cell phone, noting that it was barely ten. It seemed uncanny that so much content could be crammed within such a short time frame, but then again, if anyone could appreciate this concept it would be Sasuke.

Even knowing that he still had almost three miles ahead of him, Sasuke began to wander. He'd made the decision now to walk rather than bus home. He knew that Itachi wouldn't be setting foot inside their home for days, if not weeks, so this was a safe decision in those regards. The walk would certainly do nothing for his fever, but he couldn't face Naruto just yet. Why did the thought of lying to Naruto make him feel so badly? Who would it hurt, anyway?

As he moved onward, the area began to clear up. He reached a familiar gas station, which, for all its triviality, reassured him. The red lights hung on the clean windows, advertising cigarette cartons for $45 and hot dogs for a buck. As the anger abated, so too did his adrenaline. He was safe now, comforted by familiar territory. Now that the crisis had been averted, his mind ran its course.

His last words to Kabuto replayed in his mind. "Who says there's a next time?" He could hear the certainty in those words now as well as he had when they were spoken. Yet he had acted out of anger, and perhaps uncharacteristically, without thought. _Did_ there have to be a next time? He hadn't committed himself. In fact, he'd sold his entire inventory yesterday. He had timed it so that he could make his decisions based on the way tonight progressed. It would be simple to just tell Kabuto that he wasn't interested anymore. …Well, theoretically.

But his brother was still in the hospital. In fact, Itachi found their financial situation so worrisome that he had knowingly postponed his surgery for those purposes. And what about Itachi's follow up surgery? The aftercare? He wanted Itachi to get the best treatment he realistically could. He'd told himself that he didn't want to take risks with his brother's life, and he certainly didn't. He'd told his loud-mouthed lover this with such intensity that even he had resorted to silence. After all that Itachi had done for him, making a few sacrifices for his brother was the least he could do. He had to start pulling his weight.

Then again, if he were in Itachi's position, he would never want his brother doing this for his sake. If Sasuke were imprisoned or even killed, then wouldn't it be Itachi who ended up alone? How would it benefit Itachi to recover, only to be broadsided with a fistful of Sasuke's legal issues? How badly would it hurt Itachi to lose the very last family member he had? What would happen to Naruto if Sasuke wasn't around to take care of him? These fears had appeared ill-grounded to Sasuke, but after tonight, they seemed realistic.

These were the thoughts that feuded against each other between his ears. He wasn't used to feeling so uncertain. Which thoughts were dictated by logic, and which by emotion? This was something Sasuke was ordinarily wonderful at figuring out. But between tonight and Itachi's recent close call, he was overwhelmed. He was forced to admit this to himself, but he'd keep it a secret. He knew that admitting this to himself and recognizing it as a weakness was the only way he'd remain rational.

He reached the intersection preceding his house, crossing the street as he finally reached his block. His sneakers pat the ground, one haphazardly after the next. He soon enough reached his door, and a part of him wished he hadn't. The lights were on. He'd been daydreaming about this all night, looking forward to the warmth, comfort and safety of his lover and his home. Yet this had become the second door he dreaded opening tonight. He turned the knob.

"Where the hell were you, bastard?"

Sasuke spaced out. Dammit, he thought he'd talked himself through this. Of course, he'd done amazingly in Orochimaru's apartment, where someone in his situation could've very understandably pissed themselves. It made this look like easy sailing.

"I'm only a couple hours late."

Naruto was still in Sasuke's outfit, one of his nicer long sleeved shirts with some standard jeans. His hair was a wreck, and he has paint splattered on his shoe. Yet Naruto was wearing a hat that he didn't recognize.

"So, how was your little playdate with your friend?"

Sasuke grunted. What had he promised Naruto again? That he'd tell him if anything big happened? Sasuke seemed uninvolved, but the fact that it was unintentional this time worried Naruto.

"Ah… Is everything okay, Sasuke?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered bluntly.

"Okay, good. What were you guys doing? Weren't you going to watch that movie at his house? Oh, that… Right! Resident Evil. I didn't even know you liked movies like that, but like… Well, whatever."

Sasuke watched Naruto dully, a little more annoyed by his chattering than was his custom.

"But really, what were you doing? Did you really watch Resident Evil? Did you get anything to eat? Did you bring me back any treats? Oh! Did you go to…"

Sasuke's head ached, his eyelids burned, and his mind refused to slow. And now, all this chattering, the words falling from Naruto's mouth grating his eardrums and outrunning his distracted mind's ability to process…

"Can you not pounce me like a fucking dog the instant I get home for once?" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto silenced immediately, staring downwards. He would've preferred that Naruto yell back at him, and he was honestly surprised that he hadn't. Sasuke wasn't stupid; he knew he'd hit an insecurity. Maybe Naruto did act a little bit too much like an excited puppy when he came home. Yet if this were the case, he had just kicked said puppy square in the face. This was likely Naruto's version of yelping.

He couldn't blame Naruto, really. To an extent, Sasuke could say he understood. He knew what it was like to spend his days in this empty house. But he had obligations elsewhere. Although most people involved meant little to him, he had things to occupy his time. No wonder Naruto was stir crazy and starved for attention. Sasuke exhaled softly.

"Sorry… It's not you. Just a long night."

Naruto nodded, still appearing rejected. So Sasuke would make his true feelings known through a more effective medium: food.

"Hungry?"

Naruto nodded again, and Sasuke smirked. This was familiar. Naruto had a way of calming him, and only now was he beginning to really relax. He could just pretend like tonight had never happened. But what had happened the last time he'd tried to leave Naruto out in the dark? And more importantly, hadn't he made a promise?

"C'mon. Let's finish off the spaghetti."

Naruto followed Sasuke with a smile.

"Did everything go well at the center?"

Naruto nodded frenetically.

"Everything went great! There's this girl named Sandy, and she's seventeen but has this boyfriend who's twenty-six! Her parents really don't like it, but she's going behind their backs. I hope she doesn't get pregnant…"

Naruto trailed off, appearing contemplative for only an instant before jumping to the next topic with equal enthusiasm.

"Then there's this guy named Franco who's had five wives. Five wives, Sasuke! And six brothers! Franco gave me this hat, see!"

He pointed up enthusiastically at his head.

"Fascinating," Sasuke answered dully. Naruto was still grinning like an imbecile.

"So, what did they have you doing there?" Sasuke asked idly.

Naruto merely chuckled.

"You don't wanna know. But here, have forty bucks."

He plopped the money in Sasuke's palm, grinning proudly. Sasuke knew how Naruto must've felt at the moment. To feel so helpless, then to finally contribute _something_, even if it was small… It felt wonderful.

"Thanks," Sasuke stated with a weak but genuine smile.

As the two of them approached the kitchen, Sasuke coughed. Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, analyzing his features fully now. He was looking rather pale, with dark bags beneath his eyes. Naruto flipped his hand and placed his palm on Sasuke's forehead.

"Holy crap, dude! You're burning up!"

"Am I?"

"Yes! Get your ass in bed!"

"That's unnecessary."

"Remember what happened when you tried to make the bus? I'll kick your ass again, so help me Gandhi."

He sighed. Gandhi? What the hell? He'd missed Naruto after all.

"Gandhi was a pacifist, you know."

But Naruto's hands were already feeling his forearms, fingers, and nose.

"You're freezing! How long were you outside?"

"I walked home."

"What?! When you're sick like this?" Naruto paused, eyeing Sasuke now as the sophomore merely grunted. The blond continued, "I knew I shouldn't have let you go!"

Sasuke smiled back at Naruto dryly, finding the statement thoroughly ironic. He pressed his fingers between Naruto's furrowed brows. Naruto had not the slightest clue.

"Worry wart."

Naruto was literally dragging him to their bedroom, and Sasuke didn't fight him. He was dead tired, although equally hungry.

"You'd better feed me if you're going to drag me up here," Sasuke grumbled.

"Alright, alright."

Sasuke closed his eyes the instant his head hit the pillow. It felt amazing; it was what he'd been wanting ever since he left the hospital to attend to "business." Still, he doubted that he could sleep. Every time there was calm, his mind would begin to wander. Naruto left for the kitchen and soon came up with a bowl of chicken noodle soup.

"You were down there for a good half hour, and you come back with soup?"

Naruto laughed sheepishly and loudly, rubbing the back of his neck with his palm.

"Well, I kinda…tried to cook you something, but… It didn't really go…_exactly_ as I planned?"

Sasuke stared at him flatly for a few seconds before snickering.

"Just clean it up, because I don't think I can."

He was starting to feel pretty dizzy, actually.

"Of course."

Naruto sat the bowl down on Sasuke's bedstand, and Sasuke slowly took his first bite of noodles. Only then did he realize how hungry he'd been. Right, he'd forgotten to eat today. The room was silent other than the sound of Sasuke quickly following one spoonful with another.

"Hey, Sasuke…"

"Yeah?" he asked between bites.

"Were you…just in a bad mood because you're sick?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"According to you, I'm always in a bad mood."

"Yeah, but you were pretty bitchy even by your standards."

The Uchiha rolled his eyes.

"You'd be bitchy too if your voice made you sound like you swallowed thumbtacks."

"Yeah," Naruto laughed, "I guess so."

He took another bite, this time slowly chewing to fend off nausea.

"Naruto…" Sasuke trailed off. "I'm going to stay home tomorrow."

Naruto's face dropped momentarily. Each day Sasuke stayed home from school had taken every ounce of Naruto's persuasiveness, and sometimes some brute strength to boot. And now Sasuke was _volunteering_ to stay home? Something was off.

"Finally you're making sense, bastard. I can't wait to pamper you."

"You fuss too much."

"You do things that make me fuss too much."

Sasuke's breathing slowed as he finally finished his soup. He was full now, and he felt stronger. Naruto appeared indecisive as the silence lengthened, disturbed by it as was his practice.

"Sasuke, what happened tonight?"

Naruto asked as if there had been no doubt in his mind. For all he knew, Sasuke could've just been irritable because he was sick. Sasuke wondered how his lover knew the difference.

"I think…" Sasuke paused, and he thought hard. "This whole selling business…"

Naruto perked up.

"Never mind," Sasuke stated with a frown, facing away from Naruto.

Naruto, however, would hear none of this. Was Sasuke reconsidering? Naruto wouldn't let an opportunity like that slip.

"Nuh uh, don't think so."

"What?"

"Uzumaki Naruto does not accept 'never mind.'"

Sasuke scoffed. He didn't want to finish his thought. He didn't want to be committed to a decision, though he reluctantly realized that this type of pressure was just what he needed. And who better to administer it than Naruto? Still, it didn't make him any less reluctant.

"I'm having second thoughts."

Sasuke's eyes fell to his hands for only an instant before they looked up directly at Naruto's face. Naruto had been waiting to hear these words from Sasuke for weeks now. He understood why Sasuke felt like he needed to deal drugs, though he thought it was a stupid idea from the start. He constantly worried for Sasuke. What if he got caught? What effect would this have on Sasuke's future? More selfishly, Naruto feared that he might never see Sasuke again.

Naruto didn't know whether he was more relieved or more shocked, and this was definitely made evident by his facial expressions. The words felt very heavy leaving Sasuke's mouth. It was a bold statement for him to make, and he felt that in doing so, he was giving up on fighting for his brother.

"I'm glad."

Sasuke frowned in response. He was a very dedicated man, and once he had his sights on something, it would take hell freezing over for him to give up. Giving up was nothing to be glad about.

"If you don't mind me asking, why the change? Did something happen tonight?"

He's promised he'd tell Naruto if anything "big" happened. He'd given his word. He hated being so open, however.

"No, everything's fine. It was more what _could_ have happened."

Naruto sat down next to Sasuke on the bed, petting his forehead. At times like this, he seemed so maternal. As frequently as Sasuke wanted to resist it, it comfortably reminded him of something he now missed.

"Tell me about it."

"Remember, after Itachi got admitted to the hospital… When I told you that I was going to be more diligent about things?"

Naruto huffed, "Yeah, I remember alright."

"I'm not going into details, but… I have to stop before something bad happens."

A loud groan, and Naruto dramatically lifted his head up, rubbing his temples.

"Why would you do this to me?"

"Hm?"

"'I'm not going into details," Naruto mocked Sasuke with his best caricature. "You know what my imagination is doing right now, right? Like I'm picturing people shooting at you and some sort of fucking massacre. Maybe a high speed pursuit in there somewhere. Who did you kill today, Sasuke?"

"You're so weird."

"God, you're always so secretive and…annoying. Just tell me what happened and save me from myself."

Sasuke hesitated. Naruto's curiosity and concern were both phenomenally obvious, and Naruto probably was unaware of how close his face was to Sasuke's. He'd probably just pester Sasuke until he spilled the beans anyhow. With that vague reference, Sasuke had already reached the point of no return. At this point, why not save the hassle?

"Fine. I was supposed to meet this higher up guy who makes his own stuff. They paid me four hundred bucks just to show up. I get there, and just before I enter the building, this guy shoves a gun in my hand."

Naruto's eyes bulged so dramatically that Sasuke was tempted to laugh.

"A gun?! Like a _real_ gun?"

"Yeah, a genuine Nerf supersoaker, specifically."

Naruto made several horribly unsuccessful attempts at speaking.

"A .45. I never had to use it," Sasuke assured. "We basically exchanged some cash for some drugs I didn't even recognize were on our way."

"Why the hell did you take it?!" Naruto nearly shouted.

"He did it at the last minute. By the time I processed what it was, the door was opening. So I just had to stuff it."

"Oh my god…"

Sasuke covered his eyes with his hand and sighed.

"What are you looking so shocked for? I thought you were imagining shoot outs."

"I was lying!" Naruto shouted, flailing his hands in the air.

Sasuke tsk'd and punched Naruto in the arm, a little rough but not enough to cause real pain.

"Dick."

Of course Naruto was lying. But was it really that much of a stretch? Naruto did worry about him far more than was necessary. It was reasonable to suspect that his imagination had run away with him. Naruto frowned, wringing his hands together. He glanced over at Sasuke, then the wall, then his hands, then back to Sasuke.

"That could've been really bad, Sasuke."

He motioned Sasuke to lie down, his soup long gone. The Uchiha shivered as Naruto tucked him under the covers.

"I know," Sasuke answered slowly, "But in the end, it wasn't."

Naruto's voice was louder when he responded, his frustration evident, "You always say stuff like that. If you keep thinking that way, it'll catch up with you for sure."

Sasuke frowned. Naruto knew that if he tried to force Sasuke to stop what he was doing, Sasuke could easily find a way to circumvent him. It would only make Sasuke obstinate and get him nowhere in the end. Regardless, it was so tempting to forcefully bludgeon some sense into Sasuke.

"I promised him I'd take care of him. I can't go back on my word."

Yet Naruto sensed his uncertainty. Was it really possible that Naruto could change his mind? What could Naruto say to win him over?

"You have to remember why you're doing everything you've been doing: for your brother. So how do you think your brother will feel when his only remaining family member is in jail or dead? That's more important than any promise. You are his _only_ family. Do _not_ leave him."

Sasuke stared back at Naruto quietly, sighing deeply before resting his face in his hand.

"Fuck…"

Had he ever felt this conflicted before? He felt that giving up was weakness, cowardice, and selfishness. But if his actions ended up hurting more than they helped in the end, what was the point? He rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. The skin was hot. His body temperature had risen with the cold night air, and his mind ached from all this thought.

"I suppose it won't do Itachi any good if he gets out of the hospital and has no one to take care of him."

This too would break his promise to take care of Itachi. The stakes had elevated. Naruto had a point: leaving Itachi alone might be one of the worst things Sasuke could do to him. He remembered what Itachi had said as Sasuke questioned him in his hospital room:

_When I am happy, you're the reason why._

Naruto tried not to stare, as he knew this might cause Sasuke to retreat. What was happening? What was Sasuke thinking?

"But how can I leave him if he dies first?" Sasuke mumbled, his voice barely audible.

"Sasuke, you know the hospital will operate if his condition deteriorates that much. They're watching him now."

How could Naruto speak with such certainty? What if they were hesitant to operate? What if they weren't as careful because he couldn't pay the money up front? There was far too much he couldn't control, couldn't know. And he knew all too well how quickly someone could disappear.

"You can't know that."

Sasuke was being illogical, and he knew it. Still, could he really give up? It seemed inconceivable.

"Sasuke," Naruto frowned, leaning over Sasuke as he ran his hands through Sasuke's bangs, tucking them behind his ear. His forehead was so hot… "Don't let fear control you."

He gritted his teeth. _Fear_? Wasn't he too strong for such a thing?

"I'm not afraid. I just…"

Sasuke had considered straightening up to be the _real_ sign of fear. He started selling hoping to be brave and selfless, to care for someone other than himself for once. This is why he refused to give up, refused to be dissuaded by doubts regarding his health and legal record. And it was true that he wanted Itachi to live a long, healthy life. He wanted him to see more than the chaos and misery of the past year. Itachi had so much potential. How could Sasuke let that go to waste? He wanted to take the stress of finding the money off of Itachi, given that he had already taxed Itachi's very limited energy so much.

Yet from the very beginning, his decisions had been biased by the intensity of his anxiety, and yes, his fear. Insidiously and slowly, it had derailed his ordinarily sound sense of logic and reason. He was still selling for Itachi. But perhaps more so, he was selling because the thought of being alone scared the living shit out of him. And so, in the end, he had succumbed to fear without even realizing it.

He had believed he was too strong and smart to allow emotions to slant his decisions. Perhaps this was arrogant and naïve, believing that he was above the common population in such a way, but Sasuke held himself accountable to higher standards. Still, it seems time to reassess his plan of action.

Sasuke turned away from Naruto, rolling onto his side in a gesture that might appear childish. Naruto knew that his words had penetrated.

"Yeah…" Sasuke answered simply.

"Yeah what?"

Naruto's voice was patient, delicately encouraging him to continue.

"It's bullshit."

"Promise me that you'll stop."

Silence. Could he really make that commitment? He didn't want to again make the mistake of promising things he wasn't sure he could deliver. It was dangerous. But perhaps this would give him the strength to resist his temptations, even if only through a sense of moral obligation.

"Okay. I'll stop."

"I'm proud of you, bastard," Naruto stated, as if such a compliment were too sweet for Sasuke to take unspiced with his standard nickname.

"Don't patronize me," Sasuke grumbled.

Naruto merely snickered in response. He was trying to read whether Sasuke felt embarrassed by the compliment, or if he just needed Naruto to reassure him that he really deserved it. Of course, the generally blunt Sasuke could never directly request such a thing. And what did "patronize" mean, anyway?

"I'm serious. It was a tough decision."

"It's…unfortunate that I wasn't able to do more for him."

Naruto pursed his lips as he stared down at Sasuke, who peered back up at him. Every now and again, he'd catch glimpses of self-doubt, guilt, and uncertainty in Sasuke. It was rare, and he wondered how many people had seen this side of him.

"Sasuke, you're fifteen years old and raised almost three thousand dollars, not to mention the fact that you loaned Itachi your entire college fund. Itachi doesn't even know about all the money you have stuffed away in your drawer."

"And I could make five hundred more if I'd call the number in my pocket, but I won't to save my own skin," Sasuke interrupted.

"Whose number?" Naruto asked skeptically.

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke answered stubbornly. "The point is that I'm not doing it."

"Dude, are you serious? You've gone beyond _anyone's_ expectations. It still boggles my mind that you were able to come up with this much cash so fast, even if you had a dumb way of doing it."

Sasuke grumbled, feeling both complimented and insulted at the same time.

"I don't care what other people expect of me. I expected more of myself. I expected to keep my word," he replied severely.

Naruto laughed.

"What the hell's so funny?"

"I'm sorry. But sometimes it's just a little funny how much you expect from yourself. You expect yourself to take care of both Itachi and me, and afford this surgery that costs a fucking assload in a matter of months. Meanwhile, you send yourself to school with fevers and bloody shirts because God forbid you get an A minus. You act like you're supposed to be superhuman or something."

It seemed logical enough when it was phrased that way. But still, Naruto didn't get it. Sasuke wasn't just anyone. Perhaps this was again arrogance. Regardless, these high expectations made him smarter, more diligent, and stronger. He hated it when people dismissed him as "just a kid."

"Tch. I would never go to school in a bloody shirt. It's _your_ fault that I couldn't change."

"I get this feeling that you're missing the point," Naruto answered as he scratched the back of his head.

"Itachi could've done it," Sasuke muttered quietly, looking towards the wall with a frown on his face.

"I don't…think even Itachi could've done this. Sasuke, you're stopping because you're being _smart_, not a coward. I know you want to save your brother and live by your promise, but if you end up in juvie, or even worse, you break your promise too."

Sasuke allowed Naruto's words to sink in. Guilt and fear had hijacked his thoughts up to this point, but Naruto strengthened his resolve.

"Okay…" He took a deep inhale. "I'll tell Kabuto that I'm out for good the next time I see him."

He was frightened by the future, angry with himself for giving up. Yet in some ways felt relieved. He could just do away with all of this. No more stealing, no more parties, no more dealing… He could never become the person he was before the fire. That former version of himself had been obliterated beyond resurrection. But at the very least, he could progress towards the goals he'd held since childhood. He could go back to life before the fire as best he knew how. He felt free.

"Promise?"

"I'm done. I promise."

"I can't tell you how glad I am to hear that. You've got one proud boyfriend."

No one knew the whole story… That is, no one other than Naruto. He kept thinking to himself that as proud as his brother was, as impressed as his friends seemed to be, that if anyone knew the whole story… They would feel nothing but disappointment towards him. Sasuke wasn't one to be affected by praise; after all, he'd been eyes deep in it his entire life. However, this time, it mattered.

Naruto leaned downwards, his now smooth lips gently brushing against Sasuke's. The paler boy looked up at Naruto and smiled, the room beginning to swim around him. His eyelids began to droop, and very quickly, he drifted off to a deep sleep.


	34. Chapter 32

Sasuke's alarm clock announced itself, familiar rock music jarring both boys out of slumber. It was six in the morning, and Sasuke planned on getting to the hospital before eight. Dr. Sannin told Sasuke that staff would take Itachi back to prep for surgery by about half past nine. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, quickly getting out of bed.

Itachi had told him personally, when Sasuke came to visit him the day before yesterday. Dr. Sannin seemed to have made her decision to operate quickly. He was hopeful yet anxious, and Sasuke did his best to allow the former to conquer the latter.

The last number Sasuke recalled reading on his alarm clock before slumber was 4:38. Thoughts of today's events kept him tossing and turning, and he was constantly estimating the exact number of minutes until today's big event. Naruto grumbled as Sasuke had already begun to dress, yawning as he sat up in bed.

"Go back to sleep, Naruto."

Instead, Naruto stood as he yawned and cracked his neck, sifting through Sasuke's closet.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you."

Sasuke arched a brow. Naturally, Naruto waited until the morning of to inform Sasuke of this with a stubborn smile. Naruto knew how to get his way.

"No."

"Yup."

Logically speaking, Sasuke pondered, there was no justification for this. It was a risk with no _real_ gain. Sasuke would be fine, of course. Why would he need someone to be with him? He could deal with the situation just fine by himself.

"We've got social workers, Itachi, and doctors all in one place. If just one of them recognizes you…"

"And how's Itachi gonna find me, huh? A sixth sense and a wheelchair with jets?"

"Dr. Sannin could mention that I was with someone."

Naruto frowned.

"Sasuke, I'm not letting you go alone."

The younger boy rolled his eyes.

"If I need moral support that desperately, I'll call you. What's the difference?"

"I'm going."

"Why?"

What Sasuke had said when Itachi was first admitted had not slipped Naruto's memory. Sasuke's last remaining family member was having an operation in the same hospital Sasuke's father had died in last year.

"Because I said so."

Sasuke resented the clichéd explanation, sick of being spoken to like a child. Still, he would appreciate Naruto's presence. Naruto knew Sasuke well enough to realize that he would never accept such a luxury without it being forced upon him. Sasuke was more torn up than he'd admit, and the surgery was forecasted to take up to three hours.

"If you get in trouble, don't say I didn't warn you."

But Naruto merely grinned back at him. While they were getting ready, Sasuke was silent. As they waited for the bus, still, Sasuke was silent, every one of Naruto's attempts at conversation dying on the vine. When the proper bus arrived, Sasuke merely indicated with a cock of his head. They sat together at the back, Naruto yawning.

"How are you holding up, S'uke?"

"I'm fine," he answered curtly.

Naruto stared at Sasuke closely, catching Sasuke's eyes an instant before Sasuke looked away.

"C'mon," Naruto whispered, though the bus's noisy rumble would have made him inaudible to any eavesdroppers regardless. "Talk to me."

"What did you want me to say?"

"What's going through your head? I haven't gotten a word from you."

"How do you think I feel?" Sasuke snapped, sick of being prodded.

"Hm… Like a ball of nerves, I'd suspect," Naruto replied, refusing to be fazed by Sasuke's shortness.

Sasuke grunted in response, hardly acknowledging Naruto as he looked out the window. His lover was making detachment quite the difficult task. He was surprised when he felt Naruto's hand grip his own, their fingers intertwining so suddenly. Naruto beamed at him.

"He's gonna be okay, Sasuke, I know it. My hobo senses are tingling."

The left side of Sasuke's lips rose in what wasn't quite a smile.

"We're almost there," he stated.

Naruto clasped Sasuke's hand as they entered the hospital lobby. Sasuke reminded himself that he didn't need it, that he could've done this alone just fine. Still, there was nothing shameful about finding comfort in it. They parted with a quick nod when Sasuke reached the elevator.

Sasuke numbed himself as he rode the elevator and found his mind a perfect blank once he neared Itachi's room. This had been his technique this morning, trying to avoid memories of what had happened here a year ago. He had hardly felt present in the bus, save for the warmth of Naruto's hand grounding him. He opened the door to find Itachi looking better than ever.

"Good morning, Sasuke."

"Morning."

"How are you feeling?" Itachi questioned.

Sasuke tried not to look exasperated. Why was everyone asking him that? It was becoming white noise to him these days.

"I'm fine. You better have gotten a good night of sleep."

"Slept like a baby. I haven't felt this good in weeks, so I guess it's fitting they're going to cut me open in a couple hours."

Sasuke wondered if Itachi was just trying to calm him.

"But you don't look like you can say the same. You look like shit."

"What, because I'm not decked out like you?" Sasuke answered, pointing to Itachi's machinery.

Itachi chuckled quietly.

"I'm sure this will all be fine. Honestly, I'm more concerned about the things I might say when you talk to me afterward." He frowned, his eyes knitting as he leaned towards Sasuke, speaking quietly as if he were surrounded by eavesdroppers. "I don't remember a single word of that conversation we had."

"Why?" Sasuke smirked. "What are you hiding?"

"Kesha was only the beginning, Sasuke."

"I'll protect you from Kesha at all costs."

Itachi chuckled, and for several seconds, the only sounds in the room were those of nurses traversing the hall from outside and Itachi's machines.

"I think you're right, Itachi," Sasuke spoke quietly, now looking into Itachi's eyes. Although Itachi wouldn't make it apparent, Sasuke was sure he would also benefit from a little reassurance. "You're going to be fine."

"Yeah… I just feel dumb for getting myself here in the first place."

"It _was_ dumb. But this surgery was unavoidable regardless."

"You know, should the unthinkable happen…"

Sasuke frowned. "The unthinkable" didn't deserve to be thought of, but that certainly hadn't stopped his brain before.

"I've got something to get off my chest."

Sasuke perked a brow, quietly directing Itachi to elaborate.

"Do you remember Mr. Squoobles?"

At such a time, Itachi mentions this? Surely this was a rhetorical question. Of course Sasuke remembered Mr. Squoobles. Mr. Squoobles had been the second Uchiha pet, though the first one that Sasuke had selected himself. Mr. Squoobles' adoption proceeded that of a cat whom the six-year-old Itachi had named Ferret with no real explanation. Mr. Squoobles was a product of his mother's efforts to appease Sasuke's jealousy at being the only household member never to choose their own pet. …Or at least the jealousy Mikoto believed she could perceive from her two-year-old son.

The stately hamster stood a mere four inches on his hind legs, a muddled mix of brown and white. His cage was located next to the television. Sasuke would spend commercial breaks watching Mr. Squoobles run on his wheel, the light sound punctuating his favorite shows. Young Sasuke attempted to translate the squeaking sound of the quickly churning wheel to English, from whence the creature's name was created. His mother joked that Mr. Squoobles had become Sasuke's favorite family member, the hamster frequently the subject of Sasuke's drawings and chatter.

"Remember how he kind of…er…died unexpectedly?"

"Yes?" Sasuke answered with suspicion.

Mr. Squoobles lived a long life for a hamster, dying at four years of age. Ferret had well outlived the hamster, as expected, but perished in the fire last year. What had bothered Sasuke was how quickly Mr. Squoobles passed, transitioning from what Sasuke could only guess was perfect hamster health to a burial in a day. At least Ferret's death made sense. What was Itachi getting at?

"Well… Mom told me that they were gonna start spraying the lawn with pesticide Thursday while I was at school, after which it wouldn't be safe for Mr. Squoobles. So Wednesday after school, I took him out on the lawn to enjoy while he could."

Sasuke nodded.

"Except… It wasn't Wednesday after all. It was Thursday. I'd mixed up the days."

"_You_ killed Mr. Squoobles?"

"I did," Itachi sighed.

Sasuke couldn't prevent the look of surprise on his face.

"I thought _I_ killed Mr. Squoobles. I felt horrible!"

"To my defense, I _did_ tell you it wasn't your fault."

"I thought you were just trying to make me feel better!"

Sasuke had blamed himself for Mr. Squoobles' demise on every level. It was for this reason that Sasuke refused to get another hamster until two years later. He did not wish to inflict his horrible pet ownership skills upon some innocent and unsuspecting rodent. Itachi frowned, his brows knitting together.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I should've told you, but you were _so_ upset. I felt so guilty I had nightmares on and off for weeks."

Itachi thoroughly remembered his brother bawling on his mother's skirt until near exhaustion, both brothers' minds laden with guilt. Sasuke really had loved Mr. Squoobles. Even at Sasuke's young age, he trained the critter to stand, jump, and beg. Said training miraculously disappeared when no treats were present, though Sasuke was sure to become fussy should anyone draw attention to this. Indeed, Mr. Squoobles had been a marvelous hamster.

"I wasn't _that_ upset," Sasuke grumbled.

"You were!" Itachi insisted. "You cried for hours…for _days_."

"That's an exaggeration. I might've cried a tear or two."

Itachi shook his head.

"You refused to go to kindergarten the next day because you were too upset."

Sasuke glanced at Itachi skeptically, "I seriously did that?"

"Yes. You had your face stuffed in a pillow all morning. The only time you took it away was to tell Mom in this dramatic voice, 'Tell my teacher that there's been a death in the family.'"

Sasuke still didn't know whether he believed Itachi or not. This certainly didn't sound like Sasuke's standard behavior, or at least the memory Sasuke had of his own behavior. However, Itachi certainly was no liar.

"Sasuke…" Itachi said gravely, in all seriousness. "I really _am_ sorry for killing Mr. Squoobles."

Sasuke shook his head, laughing quietly. How odd that at such a time this would be the topic of their conversation.

"Don't laugh! It seems silly, now that we're adults…" Itachi's eyes caught Sasuke. "Well, _almost_ adults."

Sasuke huffed. He believed himself to be far more adult-like than anyone gave him credit for.

"But that was seriously traumatic for a kid my age."

"I forgive you for killing Mr. Squoobles. It was an honest mistake."

"Thanks. I kind of miss Mr. Squoobles. Ferret too. They were good pets."

"Yeah…" Sasuke trailed off.

"So," Itachi continued, a knowing grin on his face, "Do you have anything to confess to me?"

Itachi's confession had seriously been this? That he accidently killed a hamster a decade ago? Sasuke felt his conscience grow a little heavier. He had _plenty_ to confess to. In fact, should he do a proper job of it, he wouldn't know where to start. Perhaps, in the unforeseeable future, Sasuke might issue a confession of his own. Regardless, now was not the time.

"Nope."

Itachi chuckled, knowing full well that Sasuke must have _some_ dirt on his conscience. After all, of the two of them, Itachi had always been the better behaved. Still, Sasuke was confident that his older brother hadn't a clue.

"Whatever you say."

Sasuke glanced at the clock uneasily. Their time was running out.

"Yeah… It _is_ getting late," Itachi remarked, noticing Sasuke's restlessness. Itachi was beginning to sound nervous, though no one but Sasuke could've detected this.

"I'll be waiting for you out there the whole time. You'll just close your eyes, and then I'll be there to pester you when you open them."

"Of course," Itachi answered, as if there had never been a doubt.

Itachi's slightly defensive tone led Sasuke to suspect that Itachi felt guilty that Sasuke was reassuring him. Sasuke and Itachi were silent now. Neither of the brothers was particularly verbose, though even more so at this time, words were unnecessary. They communicated silently, their presence more than enough for each other.

Finally, a nurse opened the door only to quickly say, "About five minutes 'til prep."

Itachi nodded, after which the nurse quietly shut the door. The silence resumed for a couple minutes, though Sasuke was first to break it. He was compelled to do so by a slippery dread in his chest that feared that would be his last time hearing Itachi's voice.

"I'll be waiting for you out in the lobby. When you're out, I'll come as soon as I can."

"Alright."

Sasuke refused to leave now. He would stay with Itachi until the last minute.

"Be tough. I need you around."

Sasuke's tone was bossy, which he much preferred to sounding frightened.

"I'm not going anywhere, trust me," Itachi answered with a smile.

"I love you," "get better soon," the standard… Those were all things they had already told each other with their silence. Each of the brothers knew how the other felt. The same silence passed until another nurse entered the room.

"Alright, Uchiha Itachi?"

"Yes."

Sasuke's heart quickened. In their shared silence, he had calmed himself, but now his hand grasped a concealed rod in Itachi's hospital bed so tightly his knuckles whitened. It was time already?

"Okay, we're going to take you back now."

Sasuke let go of the rod reluctantly and inconspicuously. The nurse turned to Sasuke.

"Go ahead and wait in the hospital lobby. We'll keep you updated."

Sasuke wordlessly walked towards the door.

"Dr. Sannin is a wonderful doctor. Your brother is in good hands."

"Good," Sasuke stated simply, almost awkwardly. It was difficult to speak now, and god forbid his voice falter. "I'll see you in a few, Itachi."

"See ya."

Sasuke sighed as he left the room, numbly walking towards the elevator. It would be best not to think about it if he had a choice in the matter. What good would worrying do at this point? He couldn't even remember riding the elevator when he saw Naruto's face again. Apparently Sasuke was now in the hospital lobby.

Naruto looked more nervous than Sasuke had, fumbling his hands obviously as Sasuke watched him from the other side of the room. He jumped up as Sasuke noticed him.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine."

"Yeah? Did he get emotional?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"No, he doesn't really do that," Sasuke responded, pausing briefly. "But he did admit to accidentally killing our hamster."

"That bastard," Naruto answered with feigned shock.

Sasuke snorted.

"Did _you_ get emotional?" Naruto asked, more quietly this time.

"No. You should know by now that I'm not the type to lose my head."

"Yeah, I know, I know. Just checkin' up on you."

Sasuke had been awfully cranky today, though it wasn't as though Naruto could blame him. He could have never been so composed in this situation, though Sasuke expressed his stress in more unconventional ways. Sasuke merely nodded, quietly expressing gratitude.

Naruto would not demand conversation from Sasuke as the minutes passed. He wanted his presence to reassure Sasuke, not overwhelm him. He marveled at how Sasuke could sit still for so long without fiddling, especially in this situation. He wished he could fake calm half as well as Sasuke could. He wondered what Sasuke was thinking. Was Sasuke thinking anything at all? It almost seemed like his lover was no longer present.

Naruto continued to page through a nearby magazine, resigning himself to the least uninteresting article he could find. He glanced over at Sasuke, who had begun to slump slightly. His eyelids seemed to have lowered.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke made no response.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke jerked, turning over to Naruto.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

Naruto's voice had begun to blur, growing faint and then quickly louder, along with the sounds around them.

"Yeah… I think so."

Naruto quickly translated this to "no."

"What's up?"

Sasuke shook his head dismissively.

"I'm fine. Just a little light-headed."

"How come?"

"I think it's just hunger. It'll pass."

Naruto moved his head into Sasuke's field of vision, refusing to be dismissed.

"And when's the last time you've eaten?"

When _was_ the last time he'd eaten? The last time he remembered had been early yesterday morning, though he could've grabbed a small and forgettable snack since then. He had other things to worry about.

"How should I know?"

"Sasuke..." Naruto stated, tugging at Sasuke. Sasuke wouldn't move. "C'mon, let's get you something to eat."

"I can wait until after I hear from the doctor."

"This surgery is three hours, and we've only been here for like half an hour! We'll just go for a few minutes."

It was beyond the food at this point. Yes, Sasuke certainly needed to eat. The exhaustion was clear on his face, and Naruto's anxious mind feared that Sasuke would even faint. But more than that, he thought that Sasuke needed to move and stretch his legs to get his mind operating. Sitting so still like this, bottling everything up at such a time… That couldn't be healthy.

"No."

"Sasuke, seriously! You're burning yourself out. C'mon, let's just grab a pretzel or something. For me?"

"Whatever," Sasuke sighed.

Naruto followed the signs towards the cafeteria, Sasuke following behind him. Generally, Sasuke was the one leading the way. Perhaps he was too drained to do so this time?

"The food here is always shit," Sasuke stated.

Naruto nodded quietly, noting that this was the first time Sasuke had referenced his history here. Of course, Sasuke could have been referring to a meal he'd eaten after Itachi had been admitted, but Naruto had a hunch that this wasn't Sasuke's intent.

"What hospital food isn't?"

"This place has the hospital food to end all hospital food," Sasuke stated as he followed Naruto. "But I assume a pretzel wouldn't be that bad."

Naruto was glad that Sasuke had begun to speak. Finally he seemed more like a person and less like a mannequin. Naruto was pleased when he reached into his pocket and had just enough change to treat Sasuke to a pretzel. Sasuke had done the same for him on many occasions, and he had long been waiting for the opportunity to repay him.

"You look like a moron right now," Sasuke remarked, taking the pretzel and noting the large grin on Naruto's face.

"This moron got you to eat, didn't he?"

Sasuke grunted, biting into the rather dry and chewy pretzel, which tasted as if some Styrofoam had been mixed into it. At least it wasn't _horrible_. He offered Naruto a bite.

"Nah, I'm good."

Naruto hadn't eaten this morning either, had he?

"Hypocrite," Sasuke teased.

"Yeah, whatever," Naruto responded playfully, ruffling up Sasuke's hair.

Sasuke was already beginning to feel better as his blood sugar returned to normal range. His headache seemed to dwindle as well.

"Dude, Sasuke… Check out the tuna they're serving. What the hell did they _do_ to it?"

Sasuke arched a brow, peering around strangers at the splintery fish.

"It looks like it's made from plastic."

"Ugh, god, you're right. It does."

"I wasn't lying about the food here."

"Damn, poor Itachi," Naruto spoke, quickly cursing his brain for being outrun by his mouth. He looked at Sasuke nervously, and Sasuke instantly read Naruto's thoughts.

"'S fine. I'll just have to take him somewhere nice when he's better."

Naruto smiled at Sasuke, glad that he'd responded so optimistically.

"And cooking for him is out of the question?"

"I can't cook that well."

"Yeah, you can."

"No, but compared to you I'm Iron Chef."

"Bastard, I was giving you a compliment!" Naruto complained with a slight chuckle in his voice.

"How has that been working for you lately?"

"You're such a fucking asshole. I don't even know why I'm so smitten here."

"But how could you not be?"

Sasuke was finally coming back to life, it seemed. Naruto began to laugh, relieved.

"Oh wow, Sasuke. Good question ya smug little son of a bitch."

Sasuke snickered, swatting Naruto's hand away as the blond tried to yank at his ear.

"Seriously though, you should cook for him. Even if it's not like…gourmet dining, I think he'd appreciate it more."

He nodded, wondering if Naruto was really right about that. Sasuke wasn't a _bad_ cook, but he believed that Olive Garden had him beat.

"Maybe."

Sasuke looked at his watch. They'd been gone for almost ten minutes.

"I think we should get back."

"Alright," Naruto sighed. "But don't be so stiff, okay? Relax."

"I _am_ relaxed."

"Dude, no you're not. You looked like one of those British royal guards with the chimney cleaner hats that aren't supposed to move."

Sasuke was actually flattered by that. He was glad he'd managed to pass himself off so well.

"If the whole doctor thing flops, you should really look into that as a life calling."

"I'll consider it," Sasuke smirked.

After returning to his seat, Sasuke continued to effortlessly antagonize his boyfriend. As far as Naruto was concerned, this was a perfect success.

But their conversation fell to a rapid halt as they noticed a woman with a white coat and gargantuan breasts approaching. Sasuke hadn't been expecting to see Dr. Sannin for at least another half hour. Why was she returning so quickly? Naruto followed Sasuke's eyes towards the woman. Could _this_ really be Dr. Sannin?

Sasuke watched her closely, examining every motion, even her body posture to search for subtle signs of success or failure. He wished that Tsunade would walk more quickly, finding it difficult not to race up to her himself. Tsunade caught Sasuke's eyes. She was smiling.


	35. Chapter 33

She was smiling? Naruto edged away from Sasuke, feigning unfamiliarity just quickly enough. Tsunade nodded at Sasuke, whose mind nimbly attempted to draw as much information from this limited interaction as he possibly could. This wasn't the doctor's bizarre way of lifting him up and assuring him that everything was going to be okay before sending his world into chaos, was it? Was it really safe to read this at face value?

"You're back early."

Tsunade nodded.

"Things were a little simpler than we'd thought."

Despite Tsunade's cheerier attitude, "simple" didn't always mean good.

"How so?"

"As I told you, there's no way of getting out of a follow up surgery."

Sasuke nodded impatiently. Where was she going with this?

"But that taken into account, it was difficult to hope for a better outcome."

It took every particle of Naruto's scanty self-restraint not to break out into a fully formed grin. After all, as an uninvolved party, this news should mean little to him. He bit his cheek roughly as he pretended to check the clock on the opposite wall. He was hardly able to see Sasuke's expression out of his periphery, but he was glad to at least gotten a quick, albeit blurry image. It was lovely to see his boyfriend smile like that, even if that expression on anyone else might have been standard.

"What happened?"

"We went in and saw that the tumor hadn't connected to his organs to the extent that we had suspected. In most cases, it was easily severed and removed. That means less recovery time and discomfort for your brother, a higher possibility of success, and a lower likelihood of relapse."

Sasuke nodded, his innards performing some impressive acrobatics as he retained his typically removed appearance.

"So what happens from here?"

"If everything goes well, we'll be able to send him home in a week. The follow up surgery will have to wait at least a month. But again, this is a relatively minor surgery."

Sasuke nodded, trying to take everything in and failing. He had wished to hope for something like this, but he would not allow his expectations to rise so high. It would make anything short of a total success that much more painful.

"The nurse will bring you back when you can see him again. It should be about half an hour or so," Tsunade stopped to laugh. "Your brother really is a character, you know."

Sasuke's snicker bordered on a chuckle, his deep relief causing his emotions to bubble to the surface. He wondered what Itachi was saying _this_ time. It appeared that Itachi's fear might have come to fruition.

"Alright. Thanks."

"I want you to make sure he sleeps and doesn't press himself," Tsunade ordered sternly.

"Of course."

"Alright. You still have my number?"

"Yeah."

"Call if you need anything. I'm here late tonight."

Tsunade turned without further fuss, which Sasuke much appreciated. He painfully waited until Tsunade was gone to turn to his lover, unable to keep the smile off of his face. He hardly even caught sight of Naruto before the boy pounced him, hugging him roughly and swinging his body from side to side. Now that Naruto had been putting on weight and muscle, he really had gotten stronger.

"He's gonna be okay! I knew it!"

Sasuke was getting thrown about now, and he quickly jerked himself out of Naruto's hold.

"Stop it, dumbass!" Sasuke answered, unable to sound severe, "You're gonna cause a scene."

"Oh my god… I was shitting bricks, S'uke. I didn't wanna tell you obviously."

A toddler openly gawked at the two boys as his mother smiled at them, soon after returning her attention to her celebrity magazine. Fortunately, she didn't mind the mild swearing.

"I could tell anyway."

"What?! I was seriously that obvious?"

"Only somewhat obvious. I just read you better."

"Dammit…"

It seemed that the nurse came so quickly to escort Sasuke back into the surgical recovery room. Sasuke was unable to tell Naruto goodbye. Sasuke felt much more confident as he traced the halls this time, excited to finally see his brother's victory for himself. The door creaked quietly as the nurse opened it fully. All of Itachi's machines had been connected again, and he once again appeared weak and disoriented. Regardless of the positive outcome of the surgery and the fact that Sasuke could have expected nothing else, it was still a little difficult to watch. Itachi waved at the nurse with drooped eyes as she left. His hair was a tangled mess, but he didn't seem to be in any pain.

"Hey…" Itachi groused with a wide, sleepy smile.

"Hey."

"You're lookin' good," Itachi said, pointing to Sasuke. "How'd it go?"

Sasuke blinked, pausing for a moment before replying.

"What are you going on about? Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"

Itachi seemed very confused by this, his mouth hanging open slightly. He took his time to process Sasuke's response.

"Oh… I was thinking in my head that it would be what you would say when I saw you, but I guess I said it instead."

This seemed to be even worse than last time. Sasuke rolled his eyes, smiling.

"I guess so."

Itachi's breathing began to deepen, but Itachi jerked his eyes open again.

"So…" Sasuke said quietly. He wasn't sure when he'd be forced to leave, and he didn't want Itachi to find him missing unannounced after dozing off. He wondered if, as drugged as Itachi was, this would make him anxious.

"I didn't do it," Itachi urgently interrupted.

"You didn't do what?"

"_It_," Itachi emphasized, as if the alleged action were too horrible to speak of.

"You've lost me."

"_It_!" Tears began to obscure Itachi's eyes as he became distressed, his breathing quickening. "I didn't do it!"

"Okay, okay. You didn't do it."

A long strand of Itachi's hair fell over his temple as he nodded, suddenly regarding Sasuke very seriously.

"I'd like you to know that I'm enjoying our time here."

Sasuke chuckled quietly. God, all the blackmail opportunities this would afford him…

"I appreciate that. I'd like you to know that I'm enjoying our time here too."

"'S been a pleasure doing business with you," Itachi mumbled. "Please drive through."

Sasuke rested his chin on his hand, shaking his head and covering his mouth as if trying to defeat a case of the giggles in the middle of class. If he could not refrain from laughing completely, he would at least keep it dignified. As well as Sasuke knew Itachi, seeing him do something like this was borderline hilarious. Itachi's eyes flitted shut, and Sasuke found a seat in the corner of the room, far enough so as not to disrupt his rest. Sasuke leaned his head against the wall, now clearly noticing his own fatigue. Suddenly it became difficult to keep his eyes open.

"Sasuke?"

A nurse. They knew Sasuke by name now.

"Hm?"

"We're going to move him to his room now."

Sasuke followed, trekking past the rooms of others who might or might not have been as lucky as his brother. This wasn't the first moment of fire his family had endured through these halls, though he hoped it would be one of the last. Itachi's new room was on the seventh floor, high above the hospital's other buildings and bound by faint blue walls. With a distant view of the ocean, it seemed like as good of a place to recover as any. Though there was still little Sasuke could do about the horrible food his brother would be forced to consume.

Sasuke stayed with Itachi for the next two hours in his new hospital room, watching the clouds move over a far off mountain and watching a pigeon on the windowsill groom himself as Itachi slipped in and out of slumber. For the first time in what seemed like a while, Sasuke was quite comfortable now, using their time to slump into his chair and relax rather than rigidly standing guard. He wondered what Naruto was up to currently. He was sure that Naruto would find some way to occupy himself. He'd never complained in the past, anyhow.

"Sasuke…"

"Yeah?"

"M' stomach hurts like a bitch."

It was so rarely he heard Itachi complain or swear these days. He knew how he used to talk to Sasuke before his role had been so abruptly altered. Itachi didn't have a dirty mouth, but Sasuke could still overhear Itachi speak over the phone with what few friends he could keep with his busy schedule. He walked over to Itachi casually, catching a glance at his morphine pump. It had been twenty minutes since the last injection.

"Not enough morphine?"

"Whatcha tryin ta do, kill me?"

"Fine, be stubborn," Sasuke huffed, though he supposed that there was no way around the pain Itachi was experiencing. He felt a little foolish for suggesting more morphine when Itachi was already so loopy, but he didn't like watching his brother suffer. He would rather not admit this to Itachi, however.

"You're fussy," Itachi stated, his brows furrowing. Sasuke placed his thumb between Itachi's brows and rubbed out the creases threatening to form.

"You're the fussy one."

Itachi smiled up at Sasuke as he leaned over Itachi.

"You should try to fall asleep while you still have the morphine in your system," Sasuke said quietly. "It'll be tougher later."

"Will do, Dr. Uchiha."

"Doctor, already? You're setting the bar awfully high for me."

Sasuke returned to his seat, letting his back fall deep into the padding of the seat. Itachi sat quietly for a few minutes before he spoke next.

"You need to rest too."

Sasuke shrugged.

"I'm fine."

"Sasuke…" Itachi spoke severely, and it was becoming obvious now that the morphine was wearing off. "You look like shit. Go sleep."

Sasuke frowned, staring at the ground obstinately for a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak. Itachi, however, beat him to it.

"What do you expect to do for me, sitting here while I sleep? If you _really_ want to help me, go home and rest so that you can be at my beck and call later."

Sasuke sighed. He'd arrived at the hospital only a few hours after the sun rose, and now it had nearly finished its descent. He didn't want to leave Itachi for his own reasons as well, but he knew that his brother was right. He would need his strength now.

"Suit yourself," Sasuke exhaled, standing up and readjusting his shirt.

"Later, Sasuke," Itachi replied with a smile, waving at him weakly.

"Later, 'Tachi," Sasuke smiled back lightly.

He quickly made his way through the hospital to reunite with his lover. As reluctant as he was to leave Itachi, the prospect of a hot meal cooked at home and rest sounded godly. He found Naruto right where he'd left him, asleep in one of the chairs in the waiting room and snoring softly.

"Hey," Sasuke nudged Naruto, who emitted a particularly loud snore before awakening and looked around hurriedly.

"Wuh? Oh…"

"Let's go."

Naruto silently traversed the short distance between the lobby and the main hospital entrance. The crisp night air forced him to become alert as they crossed the automatic doors, the blond rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"So, how'd it go?"

"Fine," Sasuke answered nonchalantly.

Naruto nodded, holding Sasuke's hand. Sasuke accepted the advance wordlessly. Naruto stared at Sasuke's face, which looked so relaxed compared to how it had appeared this morning.

"What?"

"Nothing," Naruto replied with a grin.

"I'm going to let you get away with that because I'm nice."

"Hah! You, _nice_? Buuullshit." Naruto paused before clarifying, "Get away with what, exactly?"

"You just pulled a 'never mind' on me."

"But I never said 'never mind.'"

"No, but it was the basic implication."

Naruto shook his head quickly.

"Nuh uh. I never even said anything! To really pull a 'never mind' you need to say something to get the other person curious first."

"Staring at me like that and refusing to explain yourself suffices."

"It most certainly does _not_ suffice," Naruto insisted passionately, his voice becoming a bit louder than he'd intended.

"You're snagging me on a technicality," Sasuke teased, not all that engrossed in the disagreement but enjoying riling Naruto up.

"You _lie_, you lying liar. LIES."

"I do something nice, and this is the thanks I get?"

Naruto paused, appearing genuinely conflicted. They'd reach the bus stop now.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Sasuke, I didn't mean to…"

"Fucking with you," Sasuke answered briskly before smirking, "Yet again."

"Ugh! You're such an asshole!" Naruto shouted, socking Sasuke in the arm. It was currently unfortunate that Naruto was getting so much stronger, and with all the physical labor he was putting in, the trend was likely to continue. That one actually hurt. So Sasuke returned the favor.

"Ow! Bastard…"

"Moron."

Before they could get carried away, the bus arrived. Sasuke flashed his pass, and Naruto put the few necessary coins in the machine for his own ticket. They took a couple seats towards the middle of the bus, Sasuke taking the window side. The ride to Sasuke's house was short, only about ten minutes. Naruto sat for several minutes, resisting the urge to rub at his now sore bicep. He wouldn't give Sasuke the satisfaction. After several minutes of silence, Sasuke spoke.

"Hey…" he said under his breath, just loudly enough for Naruto to hear. Naruto looked back at him. "Thanks for coming."

Naruto grinned, pecking Sasuke on the cheek and holding his hand tightly.

"Of course. I wasn't gonna leave you there to pout all day."

"Yeah…" Sasuke grunted, glancing out the window. "Well… In a more general sense, thank you. Not just for today…"

Naruto laughed.

"Seriously, dude? You're welcome, but I really think I'm the one who should be thanking you."

Sasuke didn't respond, absently watching the trees pass.

"I was so screwed when I met you. It's because of you that I've had somewhere to sleep and food to eat. You really bailed me out."

Sasuke grunted, which Naruto translated to a "don't sweat it." Sasuke was unspeakably pleased that his brother would recover so quickly, but this did raise a few issues. Naruto's response had unwittingly reminded him that their arrangement wouldn't last much longer. With Itachi back in the house, how much longer could Naruto hide?

"Yeah… Though with Itachi recovering so much more quickly…"

A gloom slunk over Naruto's face, and Sasuke immediately regretted his comment. He had no doubts that Naruto was terrified of whatever would happen after he was discovered.

"Forget it."

"It occurred to me too, though I sort of feel like an ass stressing about it considering what was at stake with your brother. I really _am_ happy for you guys. And I really should be thankful that I could stay with you even this long."

Sasuke frowned, pulling his left sleeve down as it had begun to inch up his forearm.

"You're allowed to stress. As pleased as I am about what happened today, I'm not looking forward to that aspect of it either."

He knew that whatever misgivings he was feeling about this all, they were likely nothing compared to Naruto's. After all, this is what he'd spent an entire year of vagrancy for trying to escape. They exited their bus as the doors squeaked open and approached the house.

"Thanks for being…you know, understanding and all."

"Of course."

Sasuke closed the door behind them, and they now stood aimlessly in Sasuke's living room.

"You're scared."

Naruto looked away from Sasuke now, staring at his shoes. He wouldn't deny it.

"I'm going to watch out for you. I know more than anyone that some things can't be controlled, but I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. If things _do_ get bad, you have somewhere to run to."

Naruto smiled, noticing his vision starting to blur. He was scared, yes, but he felt so fortunate to have found someone like Sasuke.

"But I get the feeling that it won't come to that. I think you're going to be fine."

"Thanks…" Naruto muttered, sniffing quietly and wiping at his eye.

Sasuke placed his palm against Naruto's cheek, small teardrops changing course over Naruto's scars, then the knuckle of Sasuke's thumb. Sasuke leaned forward, his lips meeting Naruto's as he planted what was intended to be a small peck. Naruto opened his mouth, his tongue inching forward as it met the resistance of Sasuke's. Their tongues softly vied against each other for several seconds before Naruto pulled his mouth away to speak.

"Ya know, I'm not just crying out of sadness."

"Hm?" Sasuke answered, arching a brow.

"I feel kind of lucky. Because if you take into account what was going on last year, I'm one hell of a lot better off."

Sasuke smiled back at Naruto. It was like him to be so optimistic, even when facing the things he feared the most. It was something Sasuke had not yet managed to pull off and something he had secretly begun to admire.

"But all that's because of you, I guess."

It was difficult even for Sasuke to comprehend how he could have made such a difference in someone's life. Sometimes, unbeknownst to any of his friends, Itachi, or even Naruto, he found himself wishing that he had also been in his house when everything turned to ash. But lately, he was discovering more and more reasons to appreciate his survival. He supposed this was just another one of them. If he had died along with his parents, where would Naruto be now?

Sasuke merely nodded slightly, the two teens holding eye contact comfortably. Sasuke leaned forward again, pulling Naruto's body into him by the wrist as he kissed him. Naruto's hand rose to rest on Sasuke's waist, and Sasuke gently pet Naruto's hair as the blond nuzzled his face into Sasuke's muscular chest.

"In the end, shit luck on both of our parts brought us together."

Naruto snickered.

"I know. Kind of a trip, huh?"

"Life tends to be like that, I think. Cause and effect have a weird way of messing with your expectations."

Naruto sighed, allowing himself to fall back into the couch in the living room with a loud plunk. Sasuke quietly joined Naruto on the opposite side.

"Hey, Sasuke, are you one of those people who believe that everything happens for a reason?"

If his parents hadn't died, he probably would not have landed himself in community service. He wouldn't have met Naruto, and Naruto would have been either on the streets or perhaps suffered a fate even worse. Sasuke didn't know the answer to Naruto's question. He'd heard people claim such a thing, and some even had the audacity to insist this to him immediately after he'd lost his family. However, he did know that something very good could come out of something very bad, and that was enough to give his suffering purpose.

"There's no way to know that. It sounds like one of those things people say before they try to get you to believe in God."

Naruto shook his head, smiling softly.

"I expected you to say something like that."

Sasuke leaned back, taking off his shoes. He wasn't intending on leaving any time soon.

"Do _you_ think everything happens for a reason?"

"I'd like to believe that, so I do. It helps."

"Fair enough," Sasuke said simply.

Naruto leaned forward, cramming his face underneath Sasuke's and staring up at him. Sasuke gave Naruto a look and moved away.

"What?"

"You seem kinda…unresolved?"

"It's not that. I just don't like saying that everything happens for a reason."

"Why not?"

"Some really bad shit happens. The Holocaust, for instance. What reason could ever be good enough for something like that?"

"Yeah, but…"

Naruto paused now, thinking deeply. He knew this wasn't about the Holocaust, starvation in Africa, or kids with cancer. He knew Sasuke well enough to know that this was drawing upon something personal. He could read it in the way Sasuke's eyes trailed over the wall and the way he lightly bit the inside of his bottom lip.

"Would you feel guilty for thinking that everything happens for a reason?"

"Why would I feel guilty for that?" Sasuke answered defensively.

"Because you feel like believing that would be a form of betrayal."

Sasuke's eyes nervously moved over to Naruto, wondering how his lover had been able to read him so well. How could he believe such a thing? If he chose to believe that, he might forget how wrong and unfair what happened to his parents was. It would condone their death.

"Why does that matter?" Sasuke rebutted, agitated. "Why is it so important for me to believe something that isn't even proven?"

"Sasuke, whether you believe or not… That's not the issue. It's that…" He hesitated. "It seems like you're just holding on to sadness and resentment and a bunch of shitty feelings because you feel like letting them go would be…"

"I'm not sad."

"Sasuke, no one expects you to be…" Naruto quickly caught himself. As Sasuke had made clear before, he cared much more about what he expected of himself than what others expected of him. "How could you get over something like that? It's okay to still be ripped up about it."

"Are you supposed to be my shrink now?" Sasuke grumbled.

"This stuff still affects you," Naruto insisted. "Like what just happened now, how you even got into selling drugs and all. I know you would've been freaked out, but do you really think you would've gone so far had…" Naruto paused. This entire conversation had been vague. He hesitated to say the words. "Had your parents not died?"

Maybe this was too much for Sasuke. After all, Itachi was still in the hospital. But even though Sasuke seemed to be turning around, Naruto did not want him to be weakened to temptation. The scar tissue was still weak in some parts, as much as Sasuke was recovering. Itachi was still sick. Naruto was sure that Sasuke's unresolved feelings involving his parents' death were impeding his ability to cope with this.

He didn't know how he expected Sasuke to react… Whether Sasuke would go silent, yell at him, change the subject… Sasuke hated the fact that Naruto was right. He knew that his thought process had changed after his parents' death, that it was no longer as perfectly rational as it used to be. He'd had to admit that to himself so recently as he decided to cut his ties with Kabuto.

"So what do you want to do about it?" Sasuke answered, a little bit of fire in his tone. "Send me to therapy? Already did that. Tell me that everything happens for a reason and give me a Bible? They tried that too. I don't need to revisit this. It was bad enough the first time."

"Sasuke…"

The restlessness in Sasuke's voice was painful to hear.

"I'm sorry. I know things have been crazy lately, and…"

"And maybe this isn't the time? You think?" Sasuke snapped sarcastically.

"No offense, but you're kind of proving my point here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, stubbornly silent now. What exactly was Naruto trying to achieve?

"I don't drag all your skeletons out of the closet and make you deal with them."

It was true. Even when Naruto had a panic attack and then willingly _offered_ to share his past with Sasuke, Sasuke respected his privacy. There were certain things you shouldn't stick your nose into.

"Of course not. Because I've actually _dealt_ with them."

"Have you?" Sasuke asked, raising a brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're acting defensive."

"You're a prick, Sasuke. I was just trying to help you, and you have to bring _that_ up."

Weren't they just kissing and reminiscing about life just a few moments ago? These were some monumental mood swings. They were in a stressful situation. Maybe it was affecting them more than they'd suspected.

"You mean like you brought my shit up?"

"But you're only bringing this up to get back at me, when I only wanted what was best for you."

"I'm not trying to get _back_ at you. I'm making a connection so you can understand where I'm coming from."

"Oh, so I make you uncomfortable, so you intentionally try to make me uncomfortable? How thoughtful."

Naruto crossed his arms, rolling his eyes at Sasuke.

"Why do you keep assuming that I was being vindictive? I'm just saying that both of us have issues we still have to face. You can preach at me about facing my demons, but when the spotlight's on you, you get paranoid and snippy."

Naruto felt like decking Sasuke at that moment. Why was he getting so angry? Damn, it couldn't be… He was so accustomed to redirecting Sasuke. What would happen if Sasuke played his role? No, Sasuke had to be wrong.

"So did you!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Sasuke dramatically. "You're not one to talk!"

"Whatever. I'm not the one on the pulpit. But you admit it?"

Naruto inwardly swore at himself. He'd incriminated himself with that comment, but nothing he couldn't recover from.

"I never _admitted_ to anything," he said venomously, his teeth clenched. "I just said that you're doing the same thing you accused me of."

"Jesus, Naruto. Calm down," Sasuke stated with cut. Bad choice.

"No! I'm not going to _calm down_!" Naruto shouted, stamping his foot down. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"What are you, three years old?"

Sasuke's sarcasm was doing nothing to calm Naruto. He didn't even know why he'd suddenly become so angry. All he knew was that he had just been trying to help Sasuke, and Sasuke had to act like a royal dick and put him under a microscope. But he had a lot of stuff to handle at the moment. Too much to deal with this bullshit.

"No! You're not gonna just…go around and try to get under people's skin because you're insecure about having issues!"

"You say _I_ have issues? Who's the one stomping around throwing a temper tantrum like a toddler because of one small comment?"

"I'm mad because you're an _asshole_ is why I'm mad!"

"Well that was clever," Sasuke sneered.

Naruto stomped his foot down once, and again twice, angered by the futility of his efforts to get Sasuke back on the defensive. Why did Sasuke have to be so witty when it came to stuff like this? No matter how right Naruto was, he could never seem to win these arguments. Meanwhile, Sasuke fought back the urge to give a condescending laugh at Naruto's antics.

"You…" Naruto shouted, grabbing Sasuke by the shirt and yanking him in towards his body. Sasuke's neck snapped backwards, Naruto's strength taking his body by surprise. He certainly wasn't frail anymore. Naruto merely glared down at Sasuke. Sasuke didn't resist, smugly meeting Naruto's stare directly. Sasuke could feel Naruto's hot breath fall down his neck.

"Cute. Were you planning on saying something?"

Their faces were so close that Sasuke could actually hear his boyfriend's teeth clenching. Blond brows burrowed together so dramatically that it rendered Sasuke's modest attempts to take his boyfriend seriously near impossible. Those thin, pale lips still smirked up Naruto, right up until the instant Naruto's arm swung back and gracelessly collided with his nose.

He hadn't actually expected Naruto to hit him – they'd fought and wrestled and beat on each other all the time, but it was always in good fun. Having landed backwards on his ass, his hands scratched from sliding back against the carpet, Sasuke realized that something between them both had snapped. Maybe it was because Itachi was in the hospital, or because they both knew that they would be inevitably separated. Or perhaps it was because Sasuke had begun selling drugs and Naruto was working shitty part-time jobs. Maybe it was everything, but one thing was certain. He was _pissed_.

Sasuke lost a few precious seconds to shock before he rapidly picked himself up, ready to strike back. That smug little son of a bitch had the nerve to deck him? But before he could take his revenge, Naruto's now respectable body weight came down on top of him, slamming his back down onto the floor, his head having just barely missed smacking against the leg of the coffee table. Pale hands angrily snatched at Naruto's T-shirt, the other boy's hands following suit.

And then their foreheads came together so hard Sasuke swore his skull shook inside his head, his ears ringing as his jaws snapped shut. In some corner of his dizzy mind, he was glad that that moron was probably feeling the same pain. He'd only need a few minutes to teach Naruto an important lesson: _no one_ was allowed to treat him this way.

But what happened next came so quickly that he couldn't process it, the information bypassing his brain and traveling straight to his muscles and sinews. His body just reacted instinctively, and now their open mouths pressed together, tongues angrily lashing against one another.

Sasuke's fists tightened in Naruto's shirt, and he pushed away from him, angry that Naruto dared to become so intimate with him at such a time. But the blond was persistent, and Sasuke only put in his most severe effort seconds after the onset. The kiss tasted slightly metallic, a warm liquid between their lips informing Sasuke that his nose was bleeding. Yet the pain was hardly noticeable as their bodies writhed against each other on the floor.

Sasuke bit down on his lover's lip angrily, the modest amount of blood emerging melding with the blood on Sasuke's face. Naruto finally pulled back, but not before having conveniently placed his knee between his spread legs, pushed just a little too hard against Sasuke's groin for comfort.

"Fucker." Naruto spat, sucking at his swollen bottom lip.

The tension between them was thick for several moments as they stared each other down furiously and silently, each trying to decipher the others motives and next movements. Sasuke made a move to lean upwards, quickly attempting to throw Naruto off of him, but the knee between his thighs quickly ceased his movements, the older over top of him once more.

Sasuke acquiesced just long enough for Naruto to let his guard down. He sprung his weight into his left forearm, pushing it against the floor to swing all of his weight into his right, shoving Naruto aside. It left enough room for him to get on his knees as Naruto lost his balance, and now they vied with each other, both in the same position. However, Sasuke still had a slight bit of strength on Naruto. He grunted as he tore Naruto down, quickly straddling the boy. Naruto's hands reached up to push Sasuke off of him, but Sasuke gripped both of Naruto's wrists so hard that Naruto could hardly bend his fingers. With great effort, Sasuke pinned Naruto's wrist to the floor.

"So you think you can top me?" Naruto provoked, grinning in amusement as a drop of blood dripped down his lip.

They were both panting, their chests rising and falling dramatically. With each steep inhale, Sasuke smelled both the combined aroma of their sweat and his own blood. Of course he could top Naruto. That was how it was supposed to play out from the start. But they had only slept together once. Sasuke had been sick, sleep deprived, and emotionally overwhelmed at the time, so he had been at a severe disadvantage. But now they were on even ground.

"You doubt it?" Sasuke asked menacingly, tilting his head as he stared Naruto down. "I'll fix that."

"You sure you know what you're doing, Uchiha?"

Sasuke issued a cocky half smile. His actions would come to his defense much more effectively than words ever could. They were kissing again, hands roving and scratching along arms and torsos, their bodies pressed so flush against each other that Sasuke questioned if the other could hear how fast his heart was thumping in his chest, a sweltering mix of anger and lust swelling inside them both.

He forced his tongue into Naruto's mouth, the blond growling animalistically. Naruto bit at Sasuke's lip, tugging it as Sasuke's hand raced up his chest under his shirt, hungrily grabbing up Naruto's musculature before giving Naruto's nipple a rough pinch. Naruto snarled, his back arching as he yanked Sasuke's face closer to his own by his hair. Sasuke rubbed Naruto's nipple between his thumb and forefinger rapidly, and he felt Naruto's erection budding against his thigh.

Sasuke scooted up on Naruto's abdomen, smirking as he reached back and rapidly palmed Naruto through his jeans. Meanwhile, he bent over and bit the side of Naruto's neck, sucking mercilessly. Naruto reached underneath Sasuke's back and clawed his nails down it with as much force as he could. He hoped he made that son of a bitch bleed.

Sasuke grinned crookedly at his handiwork, pleased to see the furious and deep mark on Naruto's neck. He'd like to see _this_ one heal in a week. Naruto fought against him, trying to push him off by rising up. Sasuke pounded Naruto's chest back into the ground, the back of Naruto's skull smacking the ground so abruptly it caused his jaws to snap shut. In doing so, Sasuke strained a muscle on the right side of his torso, swearing under his breath and taking out his frustration on Naruto once again.

Sasuke jerked Naruto's shirt up, a button popping off by Naruto's collarbone and landing underneath the coffee table. He kissed, bit, and tugged down Naruto's neck, giving him an equally dark hickey where his shoulder met his neck. Naruto's toes curled as his skin tingled near the area, a particularly sensitive spot for him as he was sure Sasuke knew. Sasuke smirked in satisfaction as Naruto's vocal chords betrayed him, a lustful moan escaping. Sasuke's typical cockiness only annoyed Naruto more, yet his breath hitched all the same as Sasuke unbuttoned his pants and unceremoniously swung his fly open.

He felt a muscle in his groin twitch as his painfully growing erection met the December air of an unheated house. Naruto's body was defying his mind's orders flagrantly, treasonous goosebumps speckling his skin and blood flooding to all the wrong areas. Sasuke was getting his way and acting smug, as usual. Hadn't he been the one who made the first advance? How had Sasuke gotten the upper hand? If Naruto hadn't been angry enough before, this would do him in.

Naruto viciously bit Sasuke's earlobe and tugged while Sasuke took Naruto's plump sex into his hand and pumped feverishly. Naruto's eyes involuntarily clenched shut. A pleasure was threatening to hijack his willpower, but Naruto resisted. He wouldn't let Sasuke win. He unbuttoned Sasuke's pants, emitting a similar smirk as he fingered Sasuke's buldge, just to get under Sasuke's skin. As Naruto began to pump, Sasuke smacked his hand away, moving his hips downward so that his pelvis neared Naruto's. Impatiently, he supported his upper body with his left hand and pumped both of their cocks in his right, his hand shlicking as a few dribbles of precum lubricated his motions.

Over the course of their argument and subsequent…diversion, the house had grown dark. The green glow of Sasuke's DVD player offered sparse illumination. The only sounds to be heard issued from the humming hand-me-down refrigerator in Sasuke's kitchen, their panting as they struggled with and against each other, and the simple and inevitable bumps, slaps, and slips of skin on skin.

Sasuke's emotions had run the gamut today. From anxiety and fear, to relief and joy, to sadness, to fury, to lust… He couldn't keep track of them, so he submerged himself in this moment. He clenched his teeth as he felt his most sensitive skin pressed against Naruto, whom he _still_ felt like punching in the face. This was random and contradictory, but he didn't bother with explanations. He just knew that between him being sick, the lack of sleep, and the truckloads of responsibility he was shouldering, it had been far too long since he'd done something like this.

Naruto's hand clawed into the carpet, the coarse fibers edging under his nails and scratching his fingertips and elbow. He could only glare at Sasuke now through lidded eyes, and Sasuke could barely see it through the dimmed lighting as he stared back, unintimidated. Naruto again kissed Sasuke fiercely as he felt himself come nearer and nearer to orgasm, but… Sasuke let go.

"What the _fuck_, Sasuke?" Naruto shouted, his knuckles clenching as he grew unsatisfied.

"Move," Sasuke ordered, attempting to flip Naruto over onto his stomach. Naruto resisted, elbowing Sasuke's hand away.

"_Move_," Sasuke repeated lethally.

Naruto leaned his head back and spat in Sasuke's face, grinning at Sasuke, _daring_ the Uchiha to make him regret it. Sasuke inhaled irefully before shoving all of his weight into flipping Naruto over. Once he had Naruto where he wanted him, he crammed Naruto's bare chest against the rough carpet so hard that Naruto wondered if he'd have rug burns. His chest thoroughly compacted, Naruto's breaths were forcibly shallow and quick. A slight stream of drool fell from Naruto's lips onto the carpet's loops, the pressure of the floor forcing his mouth open.

Sasuke forced Naruto's pants down his ass and wiped Naruto's saliva away with his second finger, staring down at the moistened digit wickedly before shoving it into Naruto's hole. The pucker contracted roughly as Naruto gasped in pain. Naruto's body seemed intent on pushing him out, but Sasuke persisted. Naruto was growing dizzy from lack of oxygen, and the pain of Sasuke's finger, now thrusting more deeply, began to lose its edge and quickly morphed into bliss. He snarled and grunted rather than moaned, and Sasuke followed suit.

But Sasuke was impatient and apparently not overly interested in his boyfriend's comfort, using nothing but an extra dab of his own saliva before adding his middle finger. In fact, Sasuke _wanted_ it to hurt. He wanted to get back at Naruto, wanted him to realize how far he'd ventured out of his league. Moreover, he never wanted Naruto to doubt that he had every ability to pleasure him, hurt him, and rule him.

In this position, Naruto couldn't kiss, pinch, or bite Sasuke. He could only allow his ass to be thrust into and endure the full brunt of Sasuke's wrath…and he was profoundly enjoying it. He quietly moaned, relaxing his body so that Sasuke was able to go deeper and deeper. No, he wasn't only enjoying it. He _needed_ it. Thus, he growled as Sasuke again stopped his movements.

"Is there a problem?" Sasuke asked, so casually that it only mocked him.

"The fuck do you think is the problem?" Naruto hissed.

"If you want me to fill you, beg."

"Hah!" Naruto laughed, amused by Sasuke's audacity. "I'm not _begging_ you for shit!"

But Sasuke clawed at Naruto's hair, cramming his face into the ground. Meanwhile, the pad of his thumb pressed on Naruto's ass, the muscles around the thumb convulsing as Sasuke came so painfully close to entering.

"_Beg_."

Sasuke's voice was deep, luscious, and full, so commanding that it sent shudders through Naruto's body. He remembered what happened the last time he defied that voice, a grand total of a minute ago. As much as he despised Sasuke at the moment, the throbbing of his heart and all of the endorphins circulating his bloodstream screamed at him to obey.

"Do it," Naruto responded, his tone losing much of its defiance.

"You can do better."

"Fuck…" Naruto swore icily, gathering himself before continuing. "You motherfucker… _Please_, fill me. Please!"

It wasn't exactly groveling, but Sasuke decided that this would suffice. He wished he had some lube nearby, for both of their sakes. He'd do the best he could, using saliva mixed with a hint of blood to further moisten his erection. Naruto's hole gladly accepted Sasuke as he thrust into Naruto deeply.

"Nngh!" Naruto moaned.

Naruto had never been penetrated before, not like this. He found it to be an overwhelming experience entirely, especially given his mental state at the moment. The anger in his veins stubbornly shouted its existence at Naruto, though his overstimulated brain had forgotten why he was angry to begin with.

Sasuke bucked his hips forward, addicted to the feeling of his cock jammed so tightly into Naruto's hot orifice. Naruto's body was so tight, offering strong resistance that was mostly pleasure but a little bit pain. This was a first experience for Sasuke as well. This was the role he had envisioned himself in when he'd imagined losing his virginity. He reveled in the delicious friction as he thrust again, deeper this time and gaining in momentum. This had been the subject of Sasuke's guilty fantasies since even before the two of them had kissed. He'd even dreamt about it, albeit in his dreams, this occurred under much different circumstances.

Naruto's face slid forward as Sasuke's hips collided with his ass yet again, his cheekbone pressing into a leg of the coffee table. Naturally, Sasuke didn't give a damn. He was enjoying too much the feeling of ownership as he plowed so completely into _his_ lover, listening as Naruto's true feelings manifested themselves as blissful moans. Sasuke didn't know whether this was reconciliation or punishment, but he was loving every second.

"That's all?" Naruto rasped. "That's as hard as you can fuck me?"

Sasuke let out a mischievous "tch." Even without lube, Naruto still wanted more. Sasuke braced himself against Naruto's back, slamming all of his body into Naruto, feeling the repeated pressure of Naruto's prostate against him. Naruto didn't bother to restrain his moans now, loudly filling the house with his ecstasy. Sasuke moaned along with him, very quietly at first and with each thrust just barely intensifying. Faster, harder, deeper…

Naruto could hardly even feel his face cram against the table leg, his ribcage strain against the floor, or the slight burn of the now moistened friction against his entrance. He brought his knees closer into his body, using the leverage to push back against Sasuke's cock as Sasuke came forward. He reached around and urgently pumped at his own erection, precum streaming down his fingers. God, he needed this. Already so eager, his body neared orgasm quickly.

Naruto's body trembled as his insides spasmed, squeezing against Sasuke. He let out a loud moan as a blissful heat flowed from his groin out to his very fingers, streams of cum falling into Naruto's moving hand. There were several more spurts followed as Sasuke stuck himself fully inside of him. His anger faded as his endorphins had their say, and now he only wanted to be closer to the man making him feel this way.

As pissed as Sasuke still was at Naruto, the sight of him ejaculating as he thrust inside of him was beautiful. He had to join him, adopting the same desperate pace as Naruto had seconds ago. Naruto willingly allowed Sasuke to continue, now wanting nothing more than his lover's pleasure. How had things changed so quickly?

Sasuke felt it coming, felt his balls harden as he started to lose control. Through the fuzz of his orgasm, Naruto did his best to help Sasuke by offering as little resistance as possible. Sasuke's nails clawed into Naruto's shoulder blade, and then Naruto knew… Sasuke's spunk spurted hard into Naruto's ass as Sasuke felt the emotional and physical tension in his body release. The cum dripped down Naruto's ass, down his inner thighs, and unfortunately, onto the carpet. Sasuke noted that he would have to clean that up later.

Naruto loved being so full of Sasuke, feeling some mix between exposed, pleasured, and embarrassed. He wondered which position he preferred. Penetrating Sasuke had been amazing, but this… Sasuke, on the other hand, knew exactly where his preferences lay. He pulled out of Naruto, unable to feel anything other than ecstasy. He lay next to Naruto on his side, and Naruto joined to face him, thick fingers gently petting Sasuke's shoulder.

As the buzz of his orgasm faded, Sasuke again remembered exactly what had made him so angry. He frowned, and it appeared that Naruto had read his thoughts proficiently. Naruto frowned too. But they were too sad about what had happened to point fingers, their fingertips softly petting each other as the minutes passed. Finally, Naruto spoke.

"We're really fucked up, aren't we?"

Sasuke smiled softly.

"Just a bit."

"Heh…" Naruto mumbled. "I'm sorry," he added with fragility.

"Yeah…" Sasuke said slowly, wiping some blood off of his lip. "Me too."

Something in apologizing made both of them feel better, their consciences lighter. Naruto easily remembered punching Sasuke and a handful of the things he'd said to him. However, had to strain his mind to remember exactly how the fight had started and all that had been said.

"I can't believe it…" Naruto sighed, distraught. "I just lost control."

Sasuke shrugged.

"Yes, but I can understand why."

"I guess we both have things to work on."

"Apparently so."

Naruto snickered, glad that both of them were returning to better spirits.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to force my way in or preach at you."

Sasuke shook his head.

"I know you were just trying to help."

He regretted reacting so strongly now. He'd felt cornered at the time, so he'd lashed out. But, as Naruto had said, this only proved his point.

"Ah, how is it that everything's so easy to discuss now?" Naruto joked.

"I blame the endorphins."

Naruto laughed, which caused Sasuke to smile again.

"We can go at your own pace, okay Sasuke?"

Sasuke nodded silently. He _did_ want to follow Naruto's advice and face his past. But how?

"And so will I," Naruto added.

Sasuke didn't know how he could help Naruto with his past either. He wondered if the two of them just needed more time, which was currently something they had very little of. Regardless, Sasuke nodded again.

"Sounds fair."

Naruto grinned back at Sasuke.

"Things are looking up, Sasuke. We got a future so bright we gotta wear shades," Naruto sing-songed, tilting up an imaginary pair of sunglasses.

Sasuke's gaze caught Naruto's. His prospects _were_ much better… At least for now. Things had been getting better before Itachi got sick too. He wondered what would solicit the next doldrums. Yet if Naruto could say this, considering the challenges he faced, it had to count for something.

There was a lull in the conversation as they both moved to get up, looking over the damage to both the carpet and each other. Naruto's lip was swollen, but most traces of blood had been mostly kissed away. Sasuke's nose was no longer bleeding, but he could still feel his cartilage swelling and the caked on blood clinging to his upper lip.

The carpet wasn't so bad; if he grabbed a rag now, it shouldn't be a problem. Naruto grabbed the edge of the coffee table, now pushed back at an awkward angle across the living room, to hoist himself up. Dark eyes roamed over his naked boyfriend's body, noting the quickly drying semen along the back of tan thighs, even more seeping out as the boy attempted to stand.

Naruto flushed, embarrassed, before awkwardly turning around. His face formed into a comical grimace.

"Sh-shit."

"What's wrong?" Sasuke frowned, a tinge of regret crossing his features. Had he really hurt Naruto?

"My…ass kinda hurts," Naruto pouted.

Silence.

Sasuke snorted, before moving to stand as well.

"You might want to get used to that one."

* * *

Thank my partner, WhenTheFoxGRINS, for offering some inspiration and interesting ideas. Take that how you will.

Anyhow, enjoy, and tell me what you think. :)


	36. Chapter 34

Sasuke was so sick of this. It took every particle of his willpower not to storm out of that room at this very instant, slamming the door shut behind him. The same lectures, over and over again, the same struggles… He had yet to get a B since the age of seven, was president of the student body, and had just made the varsity basketball team after a week of intense tryouts. He didn't do drugs, didn't sleep around, and his room was always immaculate. Any _normal_ father would have been satisfied.

"Sasuke, you need to join a sport! It's not just about grades anymore. You need to be well-rounded if you want to get in anywhere decent."

"And that's why I'm joining the basketball team."

He'd gone over this with his father twice before. One would think that would be enough.

"This is high school, not middle school. You need a team with _future_. Konoha's basketball team hasn't made it to regionals even once in the past three years!"

Did it really matter how many games his team won? Most applications would only ask for his position on the team and the number of hours each week dedicated to the sport. But as his father had previously insisted, the topic could always come up, and not all applications were the same.

"If they suck as bad as you seem to think they do, I could easily become captain. And I _like_ basketball."

He loved the sport, loved the constant movements, the strategies, the techniques…He'd been the shooting guard for junior varsity in middle school. He knew how the game worked and could shoot a mean three-pointer. He hadn't unbegrudgingly thrown a baseball since he was ten. He didn't want anywhere near the sport.

It didn't hurt any that Suigetsu was also on the basketball team this year, and Sakura cheered for many of their games. His friends would frequently come to the basketball games when they had nothing else to do with their spare time. In short, it just seemed fun and convenient. And even though he was already critically busy, his father was right on one count. He knew it would help him come admissions time.

"So being captain of the baseball team is too much work for you, huh? When your brother was your age, he was taking Konoha's baseball team all the way up to state, practically riding on his back! And here you want to join this…joke of a team that can hardly even win a game, let alone a season!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, his blood beginning to boil. Sasuke believed that if he did not work to the point of exhaustion, he was sabotaging himself. Even if others would stand for lackluster efforts, he demanded perfection from himself. Yet even this would never be enough for his father. How dare his father accuse him of being lazy? Sasuke worked even harder than he did!

But that wasn't what had _really_ bothered him. He was always being compared to Itachi. Itachi, the athlete, the prodigy, the role model son. His father sometimes showed so much favoritism towards Itachi that it made him want to vomit. To make matters worse, it seemed like the more time passed, the wider the wedge between Sasuke's abilities and those of his older brother became. Was there nothing Sasuke could do to earn his father's respect?

"Oh, trust me, I am _well_ aware of all of Itachi's accomplishments."

His father scoffed, talking a long step towards Sasuke.

"Are you?"

Sasuke barely refrained from sneering. He couldn't believe his father had seriously asked that. It was quite difficult for Sasuke to be unaware, given that it seemed to be all his father ever talked about.

"Itachi showed up at the house totally hammered the other week. Even now, he's on that camping trip probably getting smashed with his friends in some cabin. But that's okay, because it's _Itachi_. Itachi never does anything wrong."

Sasuke wasn't telling his father anything new. He'd grown out of tattling at a very early age, and it was clear that Fugaku had noticed Itachi's intoxication that night. His father had made it more than clear how he felt about "those crazy bums of college students who drink themselves stupid on weekends." Yet his father never mentioned the fact that Itachi's steps swayed as he walked up the stairs and to his bedroom.

Perhaps Itachi hadn't gotten all the partying out of his system from his freshman year. Their parents had always been so strict. Sasuke couldn't blame Itachi, at least somewhat, but it still infuriated him when he was constantly compared to his older brother. Their father always looked past Itachi's mishaps, though he never extended the same courtesy to Sasuke. Itachi was the perfect son, not him.

"Stop trying to change the subject, Sasuke. This isn't about Itachi."

Of course he says this _now_. His father would compare Sasuke to Itachi whenever was most convenient for him.

"Then why do you keep bringing him up if it _really_ has nothing to do with him?"

He kept his voice at a reasonable volume, but there wasn't much he could do about the tone. Didn't he have a right to be angry?

"Because you should be following his example! Look at how far he's gone! He just got admitted to UCLA law school barely into his twenties. That's unheard of!"

Whatever happened to "this isn't about Itachi"? No, his father couldn't possibly go more than a few sentences without bringing Itachi back into this and making Sasuke's inadequacy perfectly clear. Just like always.

Sasuke stood up now, abruptly, shouting back at his father, "I'm not Itachi! When are you going to get that through your thick skull?!"

His father's face went red now, that familiar vein bulging at his neck. He could even see it from here. He knew he'd gotten himself into trouble now. Still, he nearly laughed at how silly his father looked in his rage, practically a caricature.

"How can you be so disrespectful? I raised you better than this! You _will_ join the baseball team, and that's final!"

"I _hate_ baseball. You can't force me to play! If you sign me up for baseball, they'll automatically drop me from the basketball team. Then I'll have no sports at all!"

The man's eyes widened, shocked by Sasuke's defiance. Sasuke didn't waver, glaring back at him, refusing to budge. He'd held his tongue for far too long. Now he'd _really_ let his father know what he thought.

"I'm not in art this year because _you_ thought that a psychology class would look better. I don't play the guitar because _you_ thought the violin was more impressive. When do I get to start making my own decisions?"

"I am your father! I feed you, I clothe you, and you will do exactly what I tell you to do!"

"Honey…" It was now his mother's voice that interjected. She had been watching the entire argument silently while scrubbing the dishes. She said nothing else, her voice quiet and meek. She stared at her husband imploringly, silently asking him to reconsider.

"No, Mikoto. You are far too lenient with him. And now look at him!"

Oh, what a disappointment he was. How poor and unfortunate his father was to have been afflicted with such a lazy, stubborn, and disrespectful son.

"Yeah, now look at me!" Sasuke shouted. "I have the highest grades in my class! I'm the damned president of the student body freshman year! I study, eat, practice, and sleep. What more do you want from me?"

"I want respect from you! It's been a long time now, you've been thinking you know better. You cuss, you constantly make these comments that…"

"Fugaku…" Mikoto interrupted.

"Stop interfering! I've been turning a blind eye for far too long. Sasuke, you make rude comments, you roll your eyes at me, you show disregard for everything I've sacrificed for you to…"

"Sacrificed for me, huh?! I think you just want someone new to brag about during your stupid work parties. This is about _you_!"

It was all about image with his dad. God forbid he raised a son who did _not_ spend his entire early adulthood in school and earn a six figure income. Wouldn't that be embarrassing to explain to all of his work friends? Yet his father was expecting things of Sasuke that he'd never even achieved himself.

"Do you see this, Mikoto? This is what happens when you coddle a child!" Fugaku shouted, pointing at Sasuke irefully.

"Don't yell at her!"

Thank god he at least had his mother around, his only _reasonable_ parent. He would not allow her to endure this on his behalf, however. She was a sensitive woman, and though she had accustomed herself to Fugaku's abrasive mannerisms and excitable temper, Sasuke knew that she took far too much to heart.

"What happens between your mother and me is none of your business, Sasuke. Learn your place!"

"And what _is_ my place? To obey your every command without a thought as to what I really want? God forbid I actually do something just because I enjoy it!"

Fugaku took another step towards Sasuke. He was a large man, and Sasuke's body had barely reached fourteen years of age. His father towered at least half a foot above him, moving in so quickly and closely that Sasuke could even smell the chicken sandwich he'd had for lunch. He wondered, for just a second, if Fugaku would strike him.

"You listen to me _right now_, Sasuke. I'm doing what's best for you, because I'm your father, and you _will_ obey. I'm sick of your poor behavior and disrespect!

"Fugaku!" Mikoto interrupted yet again, but this time much more forcefully. There was now real anger in her voice. She would take a stand now. "Don't say that to him! He's…"

But Sasuke wouldn't allow his mother to jump in and rescue him. He could fend for himself.

"I don't care what you think about me anymore!" Sasuke shouted. "You say this shit like it's something I don't already know! Like I don't already know I'm not good enough for you! So you know what, fuck you!"

Both of his parents merely stared at him wide-eyed. The fact that he had slipped the word "damn" in his speech a few minutes ago had been bold enough. Sasuke said "please" and "thank you", cleaned the entire house every Wednesday, and called his father "sir." He rarely asked questions. He obeyed. This sort of defiance was unprecedented, but it had been a long time coming. Even the family cat had emerged, Ferret's head tilted as she stared at the debacle in confusion.

Their shocked silence provided him an opportunity to exit.

"Bottom line: I'm joining the basketball team. I'm not playing by your rules anymore."

The look on his father's face screamed pure _murder_, at least before Sasuke slammed the front door and stormed out to the front yard. Fortunately, his cat had not followed.

Where would he go now? Juugo offered to pick Sasuke up today, but Sasuke had turned him down in the interest of studying. Whatever the case, it would certainly be better than storming around the neighborhood fuming.

Their friendship began last year. Sasuke stayed an hour after school every Wednesday to tutor the other students, which was one of the requirements of his position in the honors society. As always, Juugo was struggling academically and in danger of being ousted from the football team. Juugo claimed that no one could explain algebra like Sasuke, so he made it a point to find the then eighth grader whenever he was unoccupied.

Sasuke didn't live very far from Juugo's house, but it was an uncomfortable walk. Since Juugo bought a car over the summer, visiting Juugo became much easier. He seemed to love using it, finding just about any excuse to pick up his friends and roam the town. Sasuke and Juugo had been casual friends through most of the past year, but it was Juugo's car that really catalyzed their friendship, since they now visited much more frequently. The two quickly grew closer, despite the age difference between them. What Sasuke lacked in age, he made up for in maturity and intelligence.

Sasuke fished for his cell phone in his pocket, pulling up a text message to Juugo's number as he walked down the block.

"Does the offer to hang out still stand?"

He typed hurriedly and was forced to correct two typos, his hands still sweaty and trembling from rage and adrenaline. He hardly noticed the heat of the September sun, or the scent of newly cut grass on the surrounding lawns. The perfectly maintained hedges, identical houses, and the sight of his father's meticulously clean Nissan made him want to retch. Another standard day in suburbia.

God, he wanted out of here. He needed someone to distract him from the thoughts crashing in his head, and Juugo was always such a soothing personality. Sasuke was angry. Angry because no matter what he did, it was never enough for his father. He was angry with his brother for always one upping him, for being the golden child. He was angry with himself for letting Itachi stand above him, for failing to catch up despite all of his best efforts. But a part of his psyche smarted when he remembered his father's comment. It was a direct confirmation of what Sasuke had suspected all along.

_"You're disappointing me more and more each day!"_

Fifteen minutes passed before Sasuke's phone buzzed in his pocket. With relief, he noted that he had a new text message… From his mother, unfortunately.

"Sasuke, where are you?"

Sasuke sighed. He contemplated ignoring the text. What if she tried to force him to go home? He had to escape. He couldn't be around that asshole of a father right now. Yet he couldn't leave her to worry either.

"I'm a few blocks away. Probably going to hang out with Juugo."

His mom responded in seconds. Considering how absent-minded and awkward she tended to be with technology, she must have been very concerned.

"Are you okay?"

Sasuke shifted to his other foot, his body steadily calming itself. His mother really was far too empathetic.

"I'm fine."

This was a common lie for him anyhow. Usually, he really was fine. His life had never been all that painful, with the exception of the ridiculous amount of responsibilities and expectations that he had to manage. But he wasn't one to spill the beans whenever he was anything but.

"Come home."

Sasuke sighed.

"I need time to cool off. I'll be back before it gets late."

His phone buzzed again. The next text was from Juugo.

"definitly. whatsw/ the change of plans?"

"Had a fight with my dad. I'll explain later."

_Buzz._

"Sasuke, you told me you'd answer my calls."

Sakura now. God, this…devil's contraption. His thumbs couldn't move quickly enough. Ever since his mom bought his cell phone for him as a birthday present, his classmates seemed to have found it their god-given duty to make sure it never stayed silent for long. His popularity at school now followed him home. However, he found his conversation with his mother to be a more pressing priority.

"It's a school night. I'll pick you up, Juugo's 8. You better be there."

Despite the situation, Sasuke snickered, keenly imagining his mother's hard stare and commanding voice. His mother actually _could_ be menacing, which would come as a great shock to anyone who knew her only casually. He understood her well.

"I will. Thanks for being cool about it."

"Your father and I love you very much. Be safe."

Sasuke frowned as he peered down at the screen. He knew this, of course, but he couldn't deny that it felt nice to hear at such a time. He wondered how his mother was faring right now. He hoped that his father had calmed down after he left instead of exacting his frustration upon his mother. He would have stayed if it meant protecting her, but he believed, in all honesty, that his presence would only make things worse.

_Buzz._

"You never answer my texts anymore… :("

Sakura, again.

_Buzz._

This one was probably from Juugo? He didn't open it. He'd answer Sakura first.

"I'm busy. Call you later."

Sasuke didn't know how much more of Sakura he could handle. The relationship wasn't superficial. He really did care about her, and he enjoyed being around her. She was caring, smart, funny, and not so incidentally, hot as all hell. Still, she was so labor intensive… Sasuke didn't know if he had the time or the patience to keep up.

He opened Juugo's message now.

"need picked up?"

"Yeah, Cedar and Main. Thanks."

"be there in 5"

_Buzz._

"Okay…"

Sakura again. He didn't know if he liked the sound of that "…". He'd never been one to waste time over what lurked between the lines, but apparently this was something you need to learn when you start dating.

Although he supposed he couldn't blame her. He _had_ been rather distant lately. Some of this was in response to Sakura's excess enthusiasm, but much of it just related to his demanding schedule, busy social life, and ever-expectant parents. This was his first _real_ relationship. Of course he'd have some learning to do.

"I promise. We can hang on Saturday. We'll have the house to ourselves."

There was no secret between the two of them as to what that meant. There was little more burdensome to a teenager's sex life than intruding parents.

"Okay ;)"

Sasuke messed around with his phone a while. It was hot out. Even Septembers don't offer much of a respite in southern California. Sasuke sat against the fire hydrant by his feet, taking off his jacket and fanning himself as he waited in jeans and a tank top. He'd only played just over a minute of Tetris on his phone before Juugo's pickup pulled up. Sasuke opened the door and plopped down, his phone taking yet another opportunity to alert him of its presence.

"sasuke can u hang out this weekend?"

Karin. He ignored it. He would have put the phone on silent, but he was listening closely for his mother should she need him.

"Popular as always, I see," Juugo teased, his cigarette resting out his window with a mellow smile on his face.

"Remind me why I got a cell phone again? This is ridiculous."

Over the summer, Sasuke had saved up enough money mowing lawns and delivering papers to afford almost six months of cell phone service. As a birthday present, his parents agreed to cover the rest. Juugo chuckled and shifted the car into drive, now waiting at the small intersection's stoplight.

"Because you're a masochist and secretly get off on the attention?"

Sasuke merely rolled his eyes, huffing off some of his frustration now that he'd gotten in the car. The boy was always quieter than most. He generally took a rather pragmatic view towards talking. If he didn't have anything interesting to say, there was usually no point in saying it. However, he was now quiet even for himself, and his tense body language made his frustration evident. Juugo eyed Sasuke for a few seconds.

"Another fight with your old man?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Yup."

"What's the topic this time?"

"He threw a bitch fit about me joining the basketball team."

Juugo arched a brow, surprised.

"Why? I'd think he'd be glad you're joining a sport considering how busy you already are."

Sasuke gave a short, bitter laugh.

"Yeah, one would think. But he's mad because the basketball team doesn't win enough games. He wants me to join baseball instead."

"Like your brother?"

Sasuke merely glared at Juugo. Juugo would get himself into trouble if he didn't watch his mouth. He knew that the sibling rivalry had always been a touchy spot for Sasuke. Still, Sasuke couldn't manage to look too intimidating, considering he'd just barely hit puberty, and Juugo's bicep was twice as large as Sasuke's. The idea was more amusing to Juugo than anything.

"Easy, easy," he added, chuckling.

"I'm so sick of hearing about Itachi. You have no idea how many times teachers have asked me, 'Oh, aren't you Itachi's brother?'"

Sasuke had just started high school weeks ago, and Itachi's legacy was nothing he could ever hope to escape. He hated the way the teachers' heads would perk, or their lips would upturn as they read over his family name. Juugo sighed.

"So I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that your father brought Itachi into this again."

"As always."

_Buzz_. No one important. How the hell had his number gotten around so quickly? He ignored it.

"So what did you say?"

Sasuke frowned, already starting to feel the slightest pang of regret for his words towards his father, despite how angry he still was.

"I said 'fuck you' and told him I was going to join the basketball team anyway."

Juugo's brows raised, the junior knowing that this sort of behavior was far beyond anything Sasuke had pulled in the past.

"I really said 'fuck' too," Sasuke clarified.

Juugo barely refrained from laughing. Swearing in front of his no nonsense father was a big deal for Sasuke, but the way Sasuke viewed the word as the ultimate act of rebellion was rather endearing.

"I bet he loved that."

"He looked like he was about to follow me out the door and strangle me," Sasuke groaned.

Juugo couldn't help but chuckle now, quietly. The image of Fugaku running after Sasuke, his face red and veins bulging, after Sasuke had _dared_ to drop the infamous F bomb was too amusing to him. Juugo could have the mouth of a sailor and never get a word of reproach from his parents.

"You better be careful."

Sasuke pouted, resting his elbow against the door and resting his head on his palm.

"I wish my dad was cool like yours. He never gets on your ass like that."

Juugo was the one frowning now, his eyes wandering out the side window as they hit another light.

"I wish he'd get on my ass a little more, honestly."

"Why would you ever want that? You have all the freedom you could ask for."

"That's not always a good thing."

Juugo's parents were present in his life, at the very least. Sasuke had met both of them many times, and they were always very pleasant and vibrant people. Still, they never helped him pick his classes, and he would have no help picking out a college and preparing his applications. Juugo was told to "follow his heart" at every turn, and his parents had always been lax when it came to enforcing rules and discipline. In terms of guidance, Juugo was basically on his own.

"Your dad's a hippie, and mine's a Nazi."

The way Sasuke spoke made it more than obvious which situation he believed was more enviable.

"Sounds like a winning combination to me."

Sasuke merely shook his head, snickering.

"My dad thinks your dad is crazy, you know."

"My dad said that your dad needs to smoke some pot and do both you and his blood pressure a favor," Juugo responded through another chuckle.

Sasuke could feel his mood picking up and his body relaxing as he laughed, and it was evident to Juugo as well. Juugo had this way of calming Sasuke, as his personality was very mellow and easygoing. Unbeknownst to Sasuke at the time, he had a similar effect on the red-headed junior.

"Your dad could be right."

A very familiar melody began to fill the car. He thought he'd escaped it years ago.

"Oh god, not this song."

Juugo smiled at Sasuke impishly and turned it up.

_My baby don't mess around, because she loves me so, and this I know 'fo sho._

"Hey, Sasuke…"

"No."

"What's cooler than being cool?" Juugo asked Sasuke with a smile, intent on cheering him up.

"No."

"Not gonna change the song until you give me the right answer."

Sasuke sighed, eyeing radio in contempt.

"Ice cold."

"I can't hear you!"

"ICE COLD. Now turn that off!"

Juugo looked rather proud that he managed to get that much out of the Uchiha, finally relenting and switching the station. Juugo pulled into the garage, and Sasuke waved to Juugo's mother and addressed her by her first name as he greeted her. She'd insisted from the day she met Sasuke that he not call her "ma'am" or use the dreaded title of "Mrs." She wasn't an old woman, after all. This stood as a stark contrast to Sasuke's father, who looked down on any friend of Sasuke's who didn't address him as "Mr. Uchiha."

Soon enough, the two were up in Juugo's bedroom playing Halo. Sasuke defended his kill streak stubbornly.

"Jesus, Sasuke! Again?"

Sasuke took a sip of the orange juice Juugo's mother had given him.

"It's way, way too easy to sneak up on you. C'mon, give me a challenge here."

Sasuke tried not to think of all the homework that would be awaiting him once he got home. He wished he'd remembered to grab his biology textbook before he'd stormed out of his house, but his thoughts had been muddled at the time.

His phone's ringtone sounded, the chorus of a Modest Mouse song that only a few of his classmates had heard of. Juugo paused their game, and Sasuke glanced at the call ID. Sakura's home phone.

"I better take this," Sasuke informed Juugo reluctantly.

"Good luck, man."

He walked out to the office, where he hoped to have some privacy.

"Hey."

"Hey, Sasuke. What are you up to?"

"I'm at Juugo's."

"Seriously? Your parents let you go to Juugo's on a school night? Why?"

Sasuke sighed.

"No reason. I was just bored."

"That's strange for them."

Sakura's voice was skeptical, and Sasuke knew there was no deceiving her. And…well, she was his girlfriend, after all. Dishonesty was poor grounds for a relationship.

"Some drama at home. I'm keeping my distance."

"What happened?" Sakura asked. Her voice was full of concern.

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke answered dismissively.

"Sasuke, stop pushing me away. Let me help!"

He tried to keep his frustration from showing in his voice, knitting the skin between his eyebrows. A few weeks ago, Sakura had this very long conversation with him about how he tended to push her away and keep information to himself. He told her he'd make an effort to change, and he supposed that now was as good of a time as any.

"My dad just freaked out because I'm joining the basketball team. He mentioned Itachi, I got pissed, and it was pretty hectic after that. My mom's picking me up in about an hour though."

"Ah, I see… Are you okay?"

"Yes?" Sasuke answered, as if the question were almost too stupid to humor.

"Sasuke…"

Sakura was always quite perceptive, and definitely not an easy person to trick. Sakura might be clingy at times, but she was sharp, and she was kind. He supposed he was lucky to have a girlfriend with those qualities. He certainly could have done worse…

"I'm frustrated, obviously."

"You know your dad's just trying to look out for you. He gets demanding, but I know he's proud of you."

Sasuke felt stupid, needing to be told these things. Yet he couldn't allow himself to believe them. His father had been unhappy with him for years. Yes, maybe they'd been clashing more as Sasuke began his transition towards adulthood. He started questioning his father's rules and demanded to think for himself. But even when he had worked with unflagging devotion just to gain a morsel of his father's approval, he hadn't been much more successful.

"Yeah… Well anyhow, wanna watch a movie on Saturday?"

A pause.

"We'll have the house to ourselves you say?"

He smirked, silently grateful to Sakura for letting him get away with changing the subject.

"Completely."

Sakura merely began to chuckle devilishly in response.

"It's about time."

"Tell me about it," Sasuke groaned. God, if they could just get a few hours to themselves, it would be enough.

"Sasuke, I've been so horny lately. It's horrible. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I think I have an idea," Sasuke snickered.

"You're so full of yourself." Sakura couldn't manage to keep the giggle out of her voice. "You gonna go down on me too this time?"

Sasuke shuddered, his forehead quickly covered in a very light sweat.

"Don't say that," Sasuke replied quietly. "For Christ's sake, I'm in Juugo's office."

"Oh, am I gonna give you a boner or something?"

"Of course not," Sasuke lied. Why was he like this? It wasn't like any _other _girl could do this to him. Cursing his overactive imagination, he hoped he'd be more difficult to arouse when he got older. He willed Sasuke Jr. to curb his enthusiasm. Sakura merely laughed, and Sasuke knew she saw through him.

"You're such a bitch, Sakura," Sasuke added, his exasperation hiding the ghost of a chuckle.

Sakura burst into laughter, and Sasuke rolled his eyes. He could swear he felt himself blushing, but he couldn't help but laugh with her, if only a little bit.

"I won't hold you up any longer. See you at school tomorrow."

Sakura's voice was laced with flirtation, and Sasuke enjoyed it as much as it made him curse her. He'd get her back for this though, without a doubt. It was a game they loved to play. He hung up the phone and walked back into Juugo's room.

They could only play video games for another half hour or so until they both caved to hunger. Juugo's mom ordered them a pizza, which the boys did not allow to go unappreciated. By the time the delivery arrived, it was nearing eight. At 7:50, Sasuke was chowing down on greasy pepperoni pizza. Sure, this wasn't exactly health food, but he'd had a stressful day, he reasoned. He could stuff his arteries with a few dozen grams of grease guiltlessly.

He was thankful for how his day had improved. Juugo and Sakura lifted his spirits significantly, and he could now actually say he was having fun. Juugo and Sasuke teased each other and joked as they ate, laughter from both of them filling the kitchen. When eight came around, and his mom still hadn't arrived, Sasuke wasn't complaining. Besides, he'd only had one slice of pizza.

8:30. Sasuke didn't want to remind his mom to pick him up if she'd lost track of the time. She was sure to remember sooner or later.

9:00. Sasuke and Juugo started watching TV, and Sasuke obligatorily took his cell phone out of his pocket and texted his mom. As much as he wanted to avoid going home, it was probably the right thing to do.

"Hey, where are you?"

He waited another ten minutes before calling her. The call went straight to voicemail.

"She's not answering," Sasuke stated, turning to Juugo.

Juugo shrugged, leaving to grab a bag of Cheetos out of the kitchen. Juugo's pipe had been set on the table in the living room since they'd arrived. He picked up his grinder and a small baggie of weed nestled under an open magazine.

"Wait 'til I'm gone, Juugo. If my mom smells weed on me, she'll murder us both."

He actually wondered if she even knew what weed smelled like. However, Itachi had told him many stories of their mother's college days, once Sasuke was old enough to hear them. Apparently, Itachi had weedled them out of a highly intoxicated great uncle at a family reunion.

Juugo laughed, shaking his head.

"Good point. Sorry, habit."

9:30. His mom still wasn't answering. It was getting late. He… God, he didn't want to do this. He didn't want to be the one to break the silence. He texted his father's cell phone now. After all, wasn't this the responsible thing to do?

"Hi Dad. Mom said she was going to pick me up, and I can't reach her."

Again, no response. He was probably just angry with Sasuke. Yet when he called, again, it went to voicemail. Why would both of his parents have their cell phones off?

"Juugo, would you mind driving me home? If my mom's not here by 10, I think we should just go ourselves."

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

And sure enough, it was ten. He tried both of his parents one last time, again unsuccessful. They got in Juugo's pickup and drove a couple minutes uneventfully. However, the streets grew increasingly trafficked. Car horns punctuated the night, and suddenly they were at a standstill.

"I wonder what's going on," Juugo remarked absentmindedly.

Sasuke believed he picked up on a peculiar smell, taking another whiff. It seemed to hit so suddenly that it struck him in the face, and now he couldn't ignore it if he tried. It was strong, irritating his throat, eyes, and nose. The heavy, toxic scent of smoke.


	37. Chapter 35

No wonder there was such a pile up.

"Smell that?" Juugo asked.

"Yeah. There must be a fire somewhere."

"Shit, I hope everyone's okay…"

Sasuke frowned. His neighborhood was a tight community, one of those places where everyone seemed to know everyone else (and everyone else's business). Sasuke had lived here his entire life, and if any of his neighbors were his age, they had likely been a member of the community's ragtag gang of grade schoolers right along with Sasuke.

"Me too."

That explained why his mom had been late to pick him up. How could she get anywhere through all of this chaos? Still, it didn't explain why neither of his parents had answered their phone. Why wouldn't his mom call him if something like this happened? Sasuke reassured himself that there were many, many houses nearby and a lot of area in between. He just hoped that all of his neighbors were alright, even if the same could not be said for their houses.

The car was still for another five minutes. The sky glowed a slight bit of orange in the distance, the light fogged by smoke and clouds. Of course, everything was likely fine. All the same…

"I'm going to try to walk to my house and see what's up. Sorry to drag you out into all of this."

"Okay…"Juugo answered indecisively. Something appeared to be bothering him. "Look, I'm going to park. You go walk to your house. I'll join up with you once I get the car out of this to make sure everything's okay."

Navigating around all of these honking cars and blinding headlights was definitely going to take some time. Juugo seemed worried. Was he overreacting? It was probably a brush fire, certainly no rarity in southern California. And even if something important _had_ caught fire, this was a congested area. What were the chances that his house would be the one? He was sure his parents were just distracted…right? Sasuke nodded.

"Thanks, Juugo."

Sasuke walked through the lanes onto the sidewalk, approaching his street. Smoke. His eyes and throat were beginning to sting. Why was it getting stronger as he approached his home? Why weren't his parents answering their phones? Why hadn't his mom picked him up? Before, Sasuke had merely wondered, but now he worried.

He quickened his pace, walking briskly now. Faster. He turned onto the main street. A deadly black spire of smoke invaded the atmosphere. That…It must've been his imagination. Rows of homes blocked the actual site of the fire, but... It looked like it was coming from _his_ house.

Sasuke abandoned any sense of composure and sprinted towards the source, his deep breath catching as the sole of his Converse sprung against the ground. He knew everything would be just as it always was when he found his home. The same offwhite stucco and well-manicured grass, the dimly lit rooms perhaps punctuated by their television… Perhaps his mother was standing by the garage right now, impatiently wondering when she could finally pick up her son. He had to prove all the doubts nagging at his heart wrong, because they were nearing unbearable.

He tried not to cough as he panted in the hot and toxic air, his face soaked by the violent burning and his shirt dampened with sweat. The snaps and cracks of the fire grew louder. His neighbors waited out on the sidewalks, staring towards the menacing black column. One cast Sasuke a glance, eyes full of sympathy. What the hell was going on?

Faster, carelessly frantic, vulnerable to an impressive fall should the sidewalk offer any unwelcome surprises, he continued. His legs extended widely with each stride, several generous feet between each footstep. His arms moved counter to his legs, bangs blown back in the wind to expose his bare face to the night's unnatural warmth. No, this was impossible. There was just no way… This couldn't happen, not to _his_ house, not to _his_ family.

He could see it now. His house was totally engulfed by flames. The left half of the top floor had gone completely. And then there was a loud boom as the living room crashed in upon itself, wood, plaster, and tile blending together into worthless soot. Just hours ago, that had been the very same door he'd stormed out of, his cat locked behind him. It was nothing now. Shit… He'd trapped Ferret in the house. Maybe someone had let her out though. Hopefully his parents had…

Wait… His parents?

After that thought announced itself, Sasuke no longer was present. He stared dully at the scene of his house roaring and decaying, his arms slumped at his sides as his neck craned upward. This could have been a television show, or a dream… Certainly nothing real, happening just in front of his face. His eyes burned and watered, unfocused. His cheeks smarted from the heat of the flame. His chest had lost its substance and was hard and hollow.

A yell from a man in yellow snapped Sasuke back into reality. The firefighters hosed down the area, and he was standing in front of his neighbor's house now, caution tape forbidding him to proceed farther. Nevertheless, he ran underneath it. His own safety meant nothing to him. He sprinted to the first firefighter he could find.

"Get back!" the man shouted, covered in soot. It was black out, but Sasuke could make out the man's face in the light of the fire.

"A man and a woman were in there. Where are they?"

The man stared at him as his jaw hung open.

"Answer me!" Sasuke commanded urgently.

There was a police car. Sasuke hadn't noticed them. He also hadn't noticed that all of his neighbors were staring at him. A cop started to pull Sasuke back, but Sasuke threw the hands on his shoulder off decisively. But another police officer had come, and he was being pulled back now.

"It's too late," she whispered, her uniform tinged lightly with soot and her hair in a neat pony tail.

Sasuke stared in awe, too confused by the statement to offer more resistance, just absently following. His chest hurt, horribly, tightening so that he could hardly breathe, yet he still walked. His fingers had gone numb completely, or perhaps his body had just stopped caring about them.

"Where are my parents?" he asked, his voice far off and small.

The woman lost several seconds to what appeared to be heartache, staring at Sasuke with her brows knit.

"Sit down."

She tried to lead him to sit on the hood of the police car. Sasuke swatted her hand away.

"Just tell me already!"

Too late? Too late for what? He wouldn't take her word for it. There had to be _something_ he could do, in which case every second might be pivotal. She sighed.

"The man and women you spoke of… Those are your parents, right?"

"Yes."

"Was there anyone else in the house?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"No… Well, there was a cat too, if that counts."

The woman nodded.

"We didn't find a cat. But there were a man and woman in the house, as you say."

Sasuke's stomach lurched. They'd been home.

"Neighbors told us that there was a mild smell of smoke, then just seconds later, an explosion. Your mother was trapped in there. She didn't suffer; she…"

Sasuke's brows knit together, staring at the woman with his mouth agape.

"She died of smoke inhalation."

His breath threatened to race off just as he had through those streets, acting independently. But Sasuke silenced himself. If he lost his composure, there was no telling how much time he'd waste listening to this woman pussyfoot around the truth.

"Your father was critically injured. He's currently in the ICU at Las Haciendas."

"Oh my god," spoke a familiar and deep voice behind him, winded.

Juugo bent over, leaning against his thighs as he caught his breath and stared at the scene wide-eyed. He'd mirrored Sasuke's pace, starting with a brisk worry and galloping down the road towards the end. He'd missed most of Sasuke's conversation with the police officer, but he had heard the cop's last sentence.

"Sasuke…"

"I need a ride," Sasuke interrupted.

"Are you o…"

"Juugo," Sasuke insisted, his voice quaking, "I need a ride."

"Okay," Juugo answered obediently.

"Wait," the police officer said. "We can't let you out of our custody. We have to check you for shock, then I can drive you. You're a minor, and you've just had a nasty…"

But as the woman reached for him, Sasuke ripped away. No. There was no time for this. Juugo sprinted with Sasuke towards the car, Sasuke following closely behind and dashing ahead once he caught sight of it. Juugo was forced to park four blocks away, but this had fortunately gotten them out of most of the traffic. The two boys sprinted together, neither offering the other so much as a glance. _Finally_, someone who understood the need for urgency. A split second after Sasuke had slammed his door shut, Juugo jumped into his seat and slammed the door with his left hand while he started the ignition with his right. Juugo hammered down the gas, the topheavy truck tearing down the highway like a bullet.

They hadn't even been driving for a full minute until Sasuke realized that in his rush, he was forgetting something very important: Itachi had to know. Normally, he would've dreaded making a call like this to his brother, having to inform them that their mother had died and their father's survival was by no means a guarantee, with his friend overhearing the entire conversation no less. Yet he was too distracted to ponder this, and there was no time for privacy.

"Hey Sasuke," Itachi's voice came over the phone with a laugh, and Sasuke could hear a female guffawing along with some top 40 song. "I'm kinda at a party here. You need something?"

"Come home."

Sasuke's voice was strangely unfrazzled, yet urgent. Itachi's bravado wavered as he paused.

"Sasuke, I'm two hours away. You know, up in the mountains?"

"I don't care. Come home as fast as you can."

"Sasuke…" Itachi paused, his concern now evident. "What's wrong?"

"There was an accident."

It was an awfully unoriginal way to put it, but he really didn't know what else to say. Even coming from his own mouth, it sounded unreal and oddly composed.

"What do you mean? What kind of accident?"

"The house caught fire."

"Oh my god. How did it…"

There was no time for the details. He'd wanted to prepare Itachi for this news better, but he knew that in this situation, Itachi would prefer brevity.

"Itachi, listen to me. I don't know how or why, but the house is destroyed, and Mom didn't make it."

Silence.

"…What?"

"Mom's dead, Itachi. Dad's alive, but he's badly injured."

Still silence, other than the continued laughing of Itachi's classmates in the background.

"You have to hurry home. I don't know how serious the…"

"Las Haciendas?" Itachi interrupted, his voice cracking slightly.

Clearly, the two were related.

"Yeah."

"I'm on my way right now. See you in an hour."

_Click._

Sasuke had no idea how his brother was going to get all the way from his mountain retreat, eighty miles away and high in windy mountain trails, to Las Haciendas in an hour. But he prayed, for Itachi's sake, his own sake, and his father's sake, that Itachi could manage it. The air again went silent as Juugo's car ripped down the street.

"Sasuke, I'm so sorry…" Juugo mumbled, his voice in pained shock. A tear brimmed at Juugo's eye as he glanced over at Sasuke, sniffing as he wiped it away with thick and slightly oversized fingers. Juugo feared for Sasuke, but he also had his own memories of Sasuke's parents. As large and tough as Juugo could appear, Sasuke knew that he had a big heart.

"Just drive."

They'd arrived. Already? He didn't know whether to be relieved or afraid.

"Want me to come in with you?"

"No, I'm fine. You should go home. It's a school night."

Juugo frowned, and they both knew that this was only an excuse. Sasuke needed his privacy, but Juugo could hardly stand to leave him there.

"Call me if you need anything, okay Sasuke? I don't care if it's four in the morning; you call me."

Sasuke nodded, standing now as his blood pressure plummeted. The change in elevation caused everything to sink away, and it was so much more difficult to live in the moment on his feet. He moved from one location to the next, meaningless lights, sounds, and other sensory stimuli bouncing off of him. The hospital's logo, blue and glaringly bright against the black night… He was walking. Where was he going? What was happening? Someone was offering a wheelchair to him. Why? People seemed to be talking to him.

"Can you walk?"

Why would he be unable to walk?

"Are you going to faint?" the voice echoed, a faraway nurse holding his arm to steady him.

Why would he faint?

The image of his living room collapsing resurrected itself, and all the haphazard color of the world around him seemed to return. Right, his house… His father. If he didn't get his act together, he might never see him again.

And then, as nurses padded his expectations, he learned how to speak once again. He mechanically accepted the truth now, as it was the only way to convince these senseless automatons to take him to his father. His home was gone, along with most everything he had ever owned. His mother was dead, and his father wasn't much better off.

"His condition is very critical."

"I understand."

"He's in a lot of pain and is heavily medicated. He might not be capable of coherent conversation."

"I understand."

"He's not going to look the same. There's been a lot of permanent damage."

"I understand."

"He might not survive the night."

"Take me to him. Immediately."

The nurse gaped at the boy, surprised that Sasuke could convey composure, confidence, and authority so far beyond his years, even at such a time. She nodded, walking with Sasuke down the halls. He passed other rooms, partially opened, but Sasuke ignored the contents. His heart thudded painfully as he reached the door he had been told to expect. His hands were cold, sweaty, and shaky, but his face held its shape. This had been all that Sasuke wanted from the second he'd been told the truth: just to see his father. So why did he feel like running away now? He swallowed hard, a hundred images of what his father might look like zipping behind his eyes. He turned the door's handle and pushed, slowly. The door gently eased open as Sasuke stepped forward, and…

Machines beeped and hissed. A voice called a doctor over the PA. Footsteps filled the hallway behind him, some rushed, some reluctant, and others lethargic. Nurses read charts, a maintenance man checked a machine in the adjacent room, and a doctor spoke into a tape recorder in monotone. Everyone had somewhere to go or something to do, but Sasuke could only stand and stare.

His father took several long seconds to comprehend the presence of another person in the room.

"S'suke?" his father asked, so quietly that Sasuke could hardly hear. "Is that you?"

Valuable time passed as Sasuke's voice forsook him. What should he do? He wondered if he should sit besides his father and hold his hand, but one of his hands was gone now, and the other was so jumbled with tubes and needles that Sasuke feared injuring him. His father's useless stump of an arm was covered in reddened bandages, and a large portion of his father's face and skull were gauzed up. Sasuke couldn't see the damage to his father's abdomen and legs, but maybe that was for the best.

But his father had spoken, right? It had been delayed and distorted, but that came as no surprise. Even if he had become deformed, lost his arm, and suffered untold other damage, at least his mind was still right… for the most part. And that meant one hell of a lot.

"Sasuke?" his father called out, more clearly this time.

"Dad…"

It qualified as an answer, right? Hell, what else could he say? He'd never seen something so horrible before, and it took all of his pride and confidence right out of him. He was humbled by the unspeakable weight of reality. He'd played so brave before, but now he was afraid.

"'M so happy you're here."

"How bad is the pain?" Sasuke asked timidly.

His father merely grunted, as Sasuke should have expected.

Sasuke didn't know why his mind changed tracks so quickly, whether it masochistically wanted to torture him or really was just overloaded and randomly jumping about. But now he remembered his most recent conversation with his father, just hours ago. He remembered the look on his father's face when Sasuke had slammed the door, his now deceased mother staring at the scene in shock.

"Dad, what I said earlier… I'm really, _really_ so-"

But his dad was laughing now, weakly.

"Y'know, sometimes it takes things like this… Duh'n't it seem silly now?"

"I guess," Sasuke replied softly.

"Don't apologize."

"But Dad…"

"If it hadn't happened, you'd 've ended up like your mother 'n me," Fugaku interrupted, his eyes falling down to his maimed arm but quickly refocusing on Sasuke's face. It was true. That argument was likely the only reason he was still alive.

"I didn't mean it."

"I know, S'suke," his father answered slowly. "So proud of you. I'm not just sayin' this cuz of the circumstance…" his father tilted his head to the equipment near his head, "Heh, or all the morphine. I really mean it. 'M lucky to have you as a son."

Sasuke rubbed the skin between his eyes, willing himself not to cry as he quickly ridded any telltale hints of moisture. He had to be strong right now. His next words were difficult, his tightening throat threatening to choke them off before they could leave his mouth.

"Dad, I… Itachi and I will take care of you, no matter what. Trust me, we'll make it work. Itachi is brilliant, and…"

"You're brilliant too, Sasuke."

"I know," Sasuke responded confidently.

Fugaku chuckled for just a moment. How typical of his son, even at such a time. He couldn't express how lucky he felt to have him here.

"But still, you'll have 'ta mind your brother now...even if he's not much older…"

What was his father getting at? He wasn't giving up, was he? Sasuke wouldn't allow it.

"Dad, please don't say things like that."

A long, quiet breath escaped his father. His heart rate shot up, and his eyelids flitted. The machines began to beep hurriedly, a fearful cacophony conquering the room.

"Dad?" Sasuke called, frightened. "Dad!"

Fugaku started, as if jerked out of a slumber.

"Huh?"

"Dad, stay awake," Sasuke implored, his voice cracking. He bit the inside of his lip so hard it nearly bled, as he saw no other way to prevent the tears threatening to fall. What had just happened to his father? "I know you're in pain, but please don't fall asleep."

"Promise me that you'll be strong, and keep your head on straight. You got a lotta challenges ahead."

"It's not necessary to say things like…"

"Sasuke," Fugaku ordered firmly, in that tone Sasuke couldn't help but obey.

"I promise."

"Alright. Now go so you can greet your brother when he gets here."

Sasuke hesitated. He didn't want to leave his father's side. He didn't want to admit that if he left now, he might never speak to him again.

"Okay, but you need to be awake when he comes back here."

What Sasuke really meant by "awake" was no secret to either of them.

"…It'd be rude otherwise," Sasuke finished awkwardly.

Yet Fugaku merely smirked.

Sasuke turned, his palms covered in sweat now, but he stopped before leaving the room.

"I love you, okay Dad?"

He spoke quietly. Sasuke didn't believe in saying these things unless he was telling someone something new. But perhaps this was something his father had forgotten, and Sasuke didn't know how many more chances he'd have to remind him. He didn't want to live with that kind of remorse. As awkward and small as the words sounded leaving his mouth, he couldn't regret them.

"I know," Fugaku responded, repeating Sasuke's exact response to Fugaku's earlier compliment.

Fugaku was smiling at Sasuke now, his lips quaking. It seemed as though it had taken so much of his strength. Fugaku could count on his son to understand what he really meant by that comment. Sasuke didn't need his father to directly affirm their relationship. He understood his father, because if Sasuke had been in his situation, he likely would've said the same thing. No matter how often they clashed, in some ways the two of them were very similar. Perhaps that had been part of the problem to begin with. One was every bit as stubborn as the other.

Sasuke had never seen his father so close to tears before, and the freshman wondered if even he could've avoided crying at such a time. His dad was sure to be in horrible pain, but aside from that… His wife had died, and perhaps he would too. Why did he seem so unafraid? How could he be so strong?

Sasuke couldn't leave. It seemed so wrong to turn away. Perhaps he was being greedy, but if his father's time really was limited, he wanted every last second.

"Go ahead now, Sasuke."

Why did his father want him to leave? Was he too tired to talk to him? Was he embarrassed of the way he looked? Or perhaps there were things that Fugaku didn't want him to have to see. Regardless, if this was his father's wish, he'd reluctantly obey. He stared at his father, realizing now how much he'd taken for granted the limited time they'd shared over his life.

"I'll be back with Itachi in a few minutes. Stay up."

And though it was one of the last things in the world he wanted to do, Sasuke closed the door.

This was the story Sasuke told Naruto as they respectfully inhabited the plot where Sasuke's house had once stood. Of course, Sasuke found it prudent to substantially water down the details to avoid the situation being any more painfully awkward as well as to keep his own composure. Still, it was enough to leave Naruto open jawed, staring towards Sasuke empathetically.

Sasuke had never expected the day to go like this. Naruto piqued his curiosity when he told Sasuke that his coworker mentioned a mansion being built in Sasuke's old neighborhood. Sasuke had heard about home values increasing over the past few months, but mansions? The ever-skeptical Sasuke would have to see it to believe it. So Sasuke had accepted Naruto's invitation to see "the new crib" with him.

Yet Naruto was right, the impressive structure on the opposite side of the cul de sac nearly finished. It appeared that his boyhood neighborhood was getting pretty damned classy. Naruto gandered at the real estate with unadulterated wonder, though Sasuke was far too cool to gawk, of course. Regardless, it was interesting to see the neighborhood. It had changed, but, aside from the out of place mansion, not by much. Though he wasn't sure what he had expected after only a year. Yes, it had been interesting, but now, as a mild anxiety began to make itself known in Sasuke's chest without notice, he decided he'd had enough time to reminisce.

"Sasuke, where did you use to live?" Naruto asked, as if somehow able to read his thoughts.

Sasuke paused, finding it difficult to speak for the quick second it took for Naruto to correct himself.

"Never mind," he added nervously, scarred cheeks lightly blushing. "You don't have to show me if it's too tough. Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"Of course not," Sasuke answered, now finding it necessary to prove that nothing was "too tough" for him. "I can show you."

After all, how difficult could it be? The thing was leveled, so what was there to say? Exhibit A: where my bike crashed and I got that nasty scar on my knee, Exhibit B: Itachi's favorite playground, and Exhibit C: bigass plot of dirt.

Yet what Sasuke had expected to be a thirty second tour became a heavy conversation. With enough encouragement from Naruto, Sasuke began to remember and began to speak. Sasuke wondered if this had been Naruto's plan to begin with but didn't bother to figure it out. He was glad Naruto was here with him to keep his mind from wandering too far. There was no telling what he could have put himself through.

The sky was crowded with clouds, and the breeze had a bite to it. Naruto sat on a dried up tree stump in Sasuke's former backyard, and Sasuke rested on the ground. It was too difficult to look at Naruto directly, so he pulled out blades of recuperating grass one by one as he spoke, just for an excuse to stare at the ground. Sasuke suspected that the vegetation had begun to recover last spring, though he had no way of knowing for sure. After the day of the fire, he'd never gone back. There was nothing here for him now.

Itachi went back to salvage some possessions, but all he found were the family's birth certificates and social security cards, which had been kept in a safe in the basement. Sasuke tried to save Itachi the trouble, insisting that everything had been destroyed, but he suspected that Itachi had other reasons for returning as well. After all, Itachi lacked closure. For him, he just left for a party, and when he came back, everything was gone. It still felt unreal to Itachi, but to Sasuke it was all far, far too intimate. Itachi invited Sasuke to join numerous times, but Sasuke always had some excuse to avoid it. Eventually, Itachi had to go without him.

Perhaps this is what Naruto had meant when he told Sasuke that he needed to "deal with" his past. Naruto said that he couldn't run away forever, and it was true that the past still crippled him. Otherwise, Sasuke wouldn't have found it worth the effort. He had wondered how facing such a thing might be possible, but perhaps it could be accounted for by even little decisions, like the one he had just made.

"So, did your brother make it in time?" Naruto asked quietly.

Sasuke shook his head, frowning deeply.

"No. Dad was dead not even fifteen minutes after I left the room."

Itachi had never gotten to see their father, and Sasuke told Itachi very little about the fire or its aftermath. Itachi had no final words with his parents. As much as Sasuke knew this tortured his brother, he wondered if some things were better left unseen. Sasuke knew that those sorts of things tend to stick in your skull, haunting you at their own discretion. Sasuke hated the nightmares and the flashbacks he had following the fire. When he felt especially weak, he sometimes wished that he'd been too late as well, that he'd spent the night at Juugo's and found out the next morning. Naruto inhaled deeply and gave a long exhale, finding the heavy mood almost painful.

"Shit, Sasuke…"

What else could Sasuke do but shrug? Yeah, it was a messed up thing to happen. That much was obvious. But Sasuke didn't want pity, and that was no secret between them.

"Oh my god…" Naruto said, as if he'd had a sudden realization.

"Hm?"

Naruto's mind traced over the second time he had spoken to Sasuke. His brother had been late to pick him up. Sasuke had tried to call him, but no luck. It sounded awfully familiar.

He'd dismissed Sasuke as intriguing, but, nonetheless, pampered and sheltered. That day, he thought Sasuke was just overreacting and creating his own problems. He never would have guessed what lay behind his behavior.

"When we met…and your brother was late. I understand why you were upset now."

Sasuke frowned, wishing that Naruto hadn't remembered that. It had only been chance that Naruto had been present at such a time; Sasuke would have never revealed so much to a stranger under any other circumstance.

"You still remember that?"

"And then I called you weird! Holy shit, I am a _horrible_ person!"

Sasuke snickered, quietly amused by Naruto's reaction.

"I don't even remember you saying that."

This was a lie, but in all honesty, the "insult" never bothered him.

"It's official. I'm going to hell."

"So, do I go to hell for all the times I've pointed out your weirdness?" Sasuke teased.

"Hmmm…" Naruto answered, squinting his eyes at Sasuke in thought. Sasuke seemed distracted by something, tilting his head as he stood and walked towards a large rock. Naruto watched him curiously.

"Well damn…" Sasuke said, staring down at it with a slightly smirk. It was still there?

"What's that?"

"It's Mr. Squooble's gravestone."

Naruto dramatically arched a brow, staring at Sasuke in confusion.

"Who's Mr. Squooble?"

"He was my first hamster. The one my brother murdered," he replied with a hint of dry humor.

"Where'd ya get the name Mr. Squooble from?"

"He'd run on his hamster wheel all day, and I thought that the squeaking of the wheel sounded like someone saying 'squooble.' So I named him Mr. Squooble."

Naruto made some sort of odd noise between a croak and a squeal, having a hard time containing himself now.

"Oh my god, Sasuke, that's adorable."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Shut it, I was four years old."

"Even cuter!"

The raven groaned as Naruto looked down at the headstone with a frown. There was a yellow flower that had been growing there, but someone or something must've uprooted it. Other than that, it was only sparse blades of grass. Naruto picked it up.

"Aw, there was a flower growing here?"

Sasuke leaned away as Naruto held it up, holding the flower by its stem and roots. It did seem a shame that the only flower growing in this desolate plot of dirt had met such an untimely demise.

"Look, it was a big one too," Naruto continued, showing it to Sasuke now.

Sasuke took a full step away.

"What's wrong?"

"It's gross."

Naruto looked at Sasuke dryly, wondering what exactly he was going on about.

"But… It's just an uprooted flower. How's that gross? Is it because it's going to die?"

Sasuke shook his head, sighing. Did he really need to explain this?

"No, it's the roots. They look like…they'd suck at you or something."

Naruto gave him a look.

"What?" Sasuke asked rather demandingly. "Don't you ever think that plant roots are disgusting?"

"Uh… No?"

Sasuke merely crossed his arms, still edging away from the flower.

"Wait a second…" Naruto stopped, grinning evilly as he finally comprehended the situation. "You're _afraid_ of this?"

Sasuke, _afraid_ of something? Did he have a phobia? That was something new.

"I'm not _afraid_ of it," Sasuke corrected. "It's just unsightly."

Oh, this was a priceless opportunity.

"So then you wouldn't mind if I did this!"

Naruto shoved the dead vegetation towards Sasuke's face. Sasuke struck Naruto's hand away, only for Naruto to let go of the plant in shock. The flower, roots first, arched upwards in the air elegantly before falling directly onto Sasuke's chest.

"Agh!" Sasuke interjected, a little more loudly and urgently than he'd intended.

The way he chucked the flower off of his body to the opposite side of the plot would have made his school's varsity volleyball team jealous. Naruto, meanwhile, erupted into laughter.

"Dude! You're afraid of a flower! A fucking _flower_!"

Naruto basked in the hilarity of the situation until Sasuke's fist collided with Naruto's bicep. Naruto responded with like enthusiasm, and the next thing Sasuke could remember was toppling Naruto to the ground, the blond cackling the entire way down.

They rolled around each other, each struggling to pin the other with frustrated grunts and challenging glares. Sasuke was sure he'd seen someone stare, but he didn't care about that at the moment, even himself fighting the temptation to smile.

One year ago, something had happened at this very spot that changed him forever, that scarred him and haunted him. This is where the accident that killed both his parents occurred, where his mother had actually been suffocated to death. This spot of land had consumed his nightmares. And despite how many times he'd been pressured to share these memories with social workers who treated him like a toddler and psychiatrists with horrible combovers, until today, he had trapped everything in his own mind, where it had festered in the dark.

Yet here he was with his lover (a male no less, who saw that coming?) wrestling each other on this very same plot over the sounds of laughter and swear words. As distracted as he was by this imbecile's hands smashing into his face, he couldn't help but be impressed by how much one's life could change. And as pointless as today seemed, for whatever reason, Sasuke felt like he'd surrendered a small chunk of his burden.

Sasuke tumbled on top of Naruto, holding him down as Naruto laughed and tried to tug Sasuke off by his hair. Sasuke looked up, noting an old man in a maroon cardigan limping towards him. Sasuke knew that he was passing by his Sasuke's house, on the way to his own.

"Shit," Sasuke hissed quietly. "I know that guy."

"Pffft," Naruto snorted, only to get a boney elbow to the stomach.

The man stood in front of them now, the right side of his hair unkempt. The white strands were too thin to withstand the aggressive December breeze.

"Hello, Sasuke," the man said, staring down at the debacle in confusion as he stood on the sidewalk. He arched a brow at the two boys, who had stopped sparring and were merely lying on each other awkwardly.

"Hello, Mr. Wagner," Sasuke answered, not sounding the least bit embarrassed. It wasn't Sasuke's tradition to address others like this, but in the history of his contact with Mr. Wagner, he had never spoken to him any other way.

Sasuke and Naruto now freed themselves from each other, sitting apart now.

"I haven't seen you around here in a while."

Sasuke knew what he was getting at. He never knew Mr. Wagner all that well, besides the times that he would babysit Sasuke when his wife was still alive. But Mr. Wagner knew what happened, obviously; everyone in the neighborhood did.

"I haven't had a reason to come back, honestly," Sasuke admitted.

Mr. Wagner nodded silently. He remembered, long ago, when his mother told him that Mrs. Wagner had died. At only seven years old, Sasuke had insisted on bringing Mr. Wagner every single cookie his mother had baked for him that day. ("He needs _all_ of them, Mom! Now is not the time to be selfish!") He'd always thought that of his old neighbors, if it came to an issue like this, Mr. Wagner would be one of the most understanding.

"Well… Tell me if you need anything. You know where I live."

"Will do," Sasuke responded, curtly but respectfully.

They waited in silence as the man hobbled past, Sasuke greatly appreciating the man's briskness. Naruto waited until he was out of earshot before he decided to tease Sasuke again.

"'Hello, Mr. Wagner,'" Naruto imitated, using the best nerd voice he could muster.

"Cram it, dumbass," Sasuke answered, yanking on Naruto's ear.

"Ow!" Naruto shouted, pushing Sasuke off and nursing the sensitive cartilage.

They were silent enough for the mood to change, just slightly.

"Hey, Sasuke…"

"Mn?"

"Do you ever talk to any of your old neighbors?"

Sasuke shook his head. Now that he thought of it, it _was_ a little odd, considering how much time he used to spend with them. He used to have four or five good friends here, but after the fire, he fell out of contact with all of them. Three had even left him voicemails checking up on him, but he'd been too overwhelmed at the time to call them back. He'd procrastinated for months, and after enough time had passed, he figured that there was no point anymore.

"No."

It was difficult to speak with his old neighbors, because he associated them so closely with his home and family. They had known each other since early childhood. His mom had even babysat them. No wonder it was painful. That might have provided enough of an excuse, but it wasn't only his old neighbors he'd distanced himself from.

"They sound pretty cool, or at least that old guy did just now. And your friend too."

Thinking about all of this again reminded him of how close he used to be to his friends, especially Juugo and Sakura. It felt strange to know that so recently, he'd vented even something as silly as a family squabble to two different people with almost no encouragement. He spoke to these people almost every day. He realized now how drastically he had distanced himself from both of them.

In Sakura's case, that, combined with Sasuke's darkening personality and delinquent tendencies, caused them to part for good, and not on the best of terms. Juugo and he still hung out, but their friendship was nothing like it used to be. Basically, they stuck to casual topics of conversation in public settings. They never went to each other's houses anymore. Sasuke only socialized in large groups, almost never spending time with anyone alone. That could get demanding, and it made him feel far too open. Whom _had_ he kept close, anyhow? All of his friends had become acquaintances.

The main exceptions: his brother, of course, and the guy beside him. How had Naruto found his way in just when he was pushing everyone else out?

"I wonder if I could meet him one day."

Sasuke nodded. The thought of Naruto meeting his friends felt strange, since none of them had a clue Naruto even existed. Yet another secret he was keeping from his clique. But things were going to change soon, and he had no bets for the future.

He reached into his back pocket for a pack of cigarettes that Juugo had given him last week. He felt some odd sort of resolution and introspection that he felt deserved a cigarette, and speaking of Juugo had reminded Sasuke of their presence. He frowned as he noticed that at least four cigarettes had been broken in their scuffle, holding one of the few intact ones between his lips as he reached for his lighter. But Naruto swiped it out of his mouth before he could get a light.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I was _trying_ to light a cigarette," Sasuke said matter-of-factly.

"What the…" Naruto waved it in the air. "I seem to hear something."

Naruto stopped, placing a hand on his ear and straining to hear some imaginary noise.

"Oh, hello! That's the sound of _lung cancer_!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Naruto, I'm not a smoker. You would've smelled it on me by now."

"Eh…" Naruto answered skeptically. Even if Sasuke hadn't smoked before today, no one _plans_ on getting addicted.

"It's rare, maybe a couple times a month. So don't throw a fit."

"Wait, you've smoked cigarettes before?"

Sasuke arched a brow nonchalantly.

"Did you think this was my first time or something?"

"What the… How did I not know this?!"

"You never asked."

"Jeeez, first I find out you're all pro at basketball, now you're smoking a cigarette, and gah, too much, Sasuke. Who _are_ you?"

"Calm down, spazzoid," Sasuke answered.

Naruto scowled, handing the cigarette back begrudgingly. He stared at Sasuke as he lit the cigarette with a couple short puffs. He took a deep hit and blew the smoke in the direction of the wind, trying to save Naruto from a face full of smoke. He finally looked back at Naruto and inhaled again, getting sick of his staring.

"What?" he asked, breathing out a stream of warm smoke into the cool December air.

Naruto couldn't help but stare… The sight of Sasuke smoking was just too weird! His mind had never put Sasuke and cigarettes together, though considering what occupation Sasuke had been taking up lately, maybe it shouldn't have been surprising. He hated smoking, sincerely. It was unhealthy and tacky. But he couldn't admit that he thought Sasuke looked a little cool with a cigarette between his lips, like in the movies or something. Dammit, what _couldn't_ that bastard make look good?

"Nothing."

The blond shrugged but continued to watch him closely. Smoking was taboo for people their age. Taboo, deadly, and…he was horribly curious. It's not like he wanted to develop a habit, but… What could one hit hurt? Just to say he'd tried it? But Sasuke was staring at him impatiently, flicking some ash into the dirt with this thumb.

"Hey, do you think I could try it?"

So it _wasn't_ nothing. Sasuke's right brow inched up.

"You want to smoke?"

"No, not really… I just wanna take one puff! To see what it's like."

"Maybe when you're older."

This caused a squawking sound to erupt from the blond, who looked ready to choke on his own spit as he flailed around.

"What the hell?! I'm older than you are!"

Sasuke merely smirked, used to such a reaction by now, but finding it no less amusing. He hadn't actually meant it; he just wanted to find a new way to get under Naruto's skin.

"_One_ cigarette. If you get addicted to these things, I am beating your ass in. I won't be responsible for a habit," Sasuke stated, handing over the smoke.

Naruto stared at the burning tobacco cancer stick. He felt like a little bit of a hypocrite, but it's not like he was going to do it regularly. Still, he felt so nervous. Why? It was just a cigarette! And of course Sasuke had to be here, staring at him all smugly. He was smirking now… Dammit, Sasuke could tell he was hesitating!

Staring at Sasuke challengingly, Naruto took a long drag from the cigarette. _There_. That would show him!

Wait… Oh god, this stuff was _foul_. It seemed to expand in his throat, scraping and irritating it. He couldn't inhale. His throat pushed back up, and Naruto held his breath to avoid any coughs. He wouldn't do it, not in front of Sasuke. He just sat with the cigarette between his lips, the smoke burning his eyes.

But the more he fought his lungs, the more insistent they became, and the next second Naruto was hacking, the cigarette falling out of his mouth and onto the ground. He bent over, his face reddening as he gagged, his body threatening to wretch.

When he finally caught his breath, he looked over at Sasuke reluctantly. The bastard was smirking at him.

"Shut up! You…"

But apparently Naruto's throat wasn't ready for shouting, the blond once again descending into body-wracking coughs. Sasuke just watched and shook his head.

"Sasuke! How the hell can you actually _enjoy_ this?"

"The buzz is nice. You know, if you can actually keep a breath down."

A small stream of smoke was wafting up into the air.

"Shit!" Naruto shouted.

He bent over, quickly grabbing the still lit cigarette and putting it out. What could Naruto had been afraid of? There was nothing to catch fire here.

"Chill. You act like you're gonna burn a house down or something," Sasuke told Naruto with a straight face.

"Well, it's not good to leave a burning cigarette… Wait a second."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, taking out another cigarette and lighting it. He had wondered if the comment would go over Naruto's head altogether.

"Oh my god! Sasuke, the master of dark humor. My disciple surpasses me!"

"Disciple?" he asked, taking another puff. "More like you've contaminated me."

"Defiled…" Naruto waited before adding with a devilish grin, "Deflowered."

"Says the dumbass who begged for me the other night."

"Hah! Hardly!"

A loud chime sounded, informing Sasuke that he'd just received a text message. Pulling it from his snug jean pocket, he unlocked his phone and began thumbing back a response without much thought. Just another acquaintance wondering "wats ^." Was "^" supposed to stand for "up"? God, people could be so dull.

As he returned to his inbox to check for any other new messages (apparently there were two), he pulled the cigarette from his mouth, flicking some of the ash into the dirt absentmindedly.

"You know… I never deleted the texts from that night."

"Huh?" Naruto answered, too distracted by their previous conversation to change tracks so quickly. "_Oh…_" he added, finally understanding.

Naruto recounted the day he had combed through Sasuke's cell phone, ultimately sending some rather incriminating text messages to a female friend of his. He remembered seeing a set of messages from who he had assumed was Sasuke's mother. At the time, he had not even known that Sasuke's parents were gone, so he had no real reason to pay them much attention. Even if he had remembered after he knew the fate of Sasuke's parents, he had no reason to think that these messages were anything out of the ordinary. He only recalled several of them, but Naruto swallowed hard as the fact hit him: the messages he had unwittingly read were Sasuke's last communication with his mother. He felt guilty for invading Sasuke's privacy, yet honored that Sasuke would willingly share this with him to begin with.

Meanwhile, Sasuke took an especially long drag, regretting that he'd admitted this. Not enough nicotine…

"Doesn't it… Isn't it difficult to see that? I mean you must see it when you go through your messages, right?"

As he had sat beside Naruto in front of St. Magdalene's that night, his brother far too late… He had scrolled through the phone first to check for a text from his brother before he decided to worry. He'd allowed himself to linger over a certain one: September 27, 4;01 pm.

_"Your father and I love you very much. Be safe."_

In fact, he tended to linger over that a little too often… At least when he wasn't so eager to avoid it that he wouldn't even scroll his inbox past November, lest his thumb prove overzealous. It seemed to be either one extreme or the other.

Two weeks after the accident, he had stared at the message a couple hours before sunrise, a little overdrugged and sedated thanks to a new medication regimen his quack of a shrink had been so keen on. His thumbs clumsily tapped the screen.

"I shoukd have told you to come earlier. I miss you mom…"

_Are you okay?_

The familiar phone number asked, weeks ago. Sasuke propped himself up that night, the walls warping slightly, seeming to slant inwards at the ceiling. This medication was strong.

"no." he admitted, for the only time in his life.

These were messages he knew she'd never receive, and the ones he liked to ignore. Fortunately, he rarely had a reason to look over his "sent" folder.

Again, he was repeating his mistakes, letting the memories take him. Naruto quietly awaited his answer, however, figuring that Sasuke needed this time to contemplate.

"Yes," he admitted. "But I can't bring myself to delete them. And even if I could…"

Naruto nodded slowly, placing his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"In your shoes, I could never delete it. I don't think you should."

Sasuke looked away, deciding to speak but then thinking against it. He occupied his mouth with his cigarette. He was grateful to have such a powerful memory of his parents. He just wished that it didn't have to be accessible through something he so frequently used. This wasn't something he could shove in a box and bury in a basement. If he became morose, torturing himself was as easy as reaching into his pocket.

Sasuke was still fighting for a proper grasp of balance. He could read over the messages every day if he wanted to. But at what point would his efforts be treasuring his parents' memory, and at what point would they become unhealthy and masochistic? It would be so much simpler to do one or the other: to repress or dwell. It was healthy moderation that was so difficult to achieve.

"I just hope the phone doesn't break," Sasuke said, unnecessarily ashing his cigarette in his uneasiness. At this rate, he'd shake the remaining tobacco out. Fortunately for Sasuke, Naruto had no idea how to properly ash a cigarette.

"Do you look at them often?"

Sasuke frowned, breathing in the tobacco deeply. It seemed so unfair to Naruto… It was one thing to know that Sasuke's parents were gone, but to hear him talk about it… He felt his eyes going wet, and he tried to hide it from Sasuke.

"You look like you feel a little too badly for me," Sasuke said, smiling slightly.

"It's just…"

"Heavy."

"Yeah."

Despite everything Naruto had gone through, the guy was a bleeding heart. Naruto had way, way too much empathy, but then again, Sasuke supposed that someone in the relationship had to balance him out. Still, he didn't want Naruto wasting his emotional energy fussing over him. That wouldn't do any good for either of them.

"I've got someone to take care of me now. I have a great brother, an attractive boyfriend, a decent education…"

"Attractive?" Naruto answered, cocking his head slightly. "Is that all you have to say about me?"

"What? You're a hot piece of ass."

"Perv."

Sasuke merely shrugged, genuinely unapologetic. Naruto snorted, noting how Sasuke made no attempts to fight him on that accusation. There was a pause between the two, the tense atmosphere having lifted somewhat. And then…

"…It really does taste like licking an ashtray."

Naruto stuck out his tongue, making a face. Sasuke smirked. After all of the oddly tasting kisses Naruto had put him through, from morning breath to creamed herring, vengeance was sweet.

"Ch, idiot."

There wasn't much else to do here now, and the clouds were darkening. A light drizzle of rain fell down upon the two. With only a shared nod, the two of them stood and began to walk home. Naruto stood quickly, reaching out his hand to Sasuke. When Sasuke accepted, Naruto attempted to fling his dark-haired lover into his chest, but Sasuke saw it coming in advance. Instead, Sasuke took his momentum and jerked Naruto towards him, the blond almost losing his footing.

If he'd learned one thing from all of his introspections today, it was that things could change one hell of a lot. As draining as it had been to think about the past, he couldn't feel melancholic as Naruto teased him, making an imbecile of himself and occasionally hanging on him. Naruto was acting a little sillier than usual, it seemed. Perhaps he was trying to distract him.

This would've never been what he had wanted for himself, a year back in time. He would have never chosen this life, yet things happened that were out of his control. Things happened that Sasuke would have never been able to imagine. Now, his life was again on the brink of great change. His brother's health was still questionable, Naruto was bound to be discovered, and the little "arrangement" he had with Kabuto? He could only hope that it would be as simple as calling the deal off.

What could he control? The frightening thing was that there was no way to know. But now he knew that he had more control than he had once realized. He was strong. Whatever happened, he knew that he would find a way around it, over it, and through it.


	38. Chapter 36

Sasuke didn't know whom he'd sit with at lunch. He didn't know what would happen, or what today would bring. But Sasuke _did_ know exactly what he needed to do, and nothing would talk him out of it.

This was his first day at school after he had met Orochimaru with Kabuto. After all that had happened since then, from Itachi's surgery to Sasuke's merry little field trip to his old house, it seemed like such a long time ago. He didn't know whether his skipping school would raise flags for Kabuto or not. Sasuke _was_ obviously sick and had missed a few days of school even before their incident with Orochimaru, thanks to that idiot in his bedroom who so frequently forced Sasuke to rest. He was sure that the night of what Sasuke assumed would be his final deal, Kabuto could hear the sickness in his throat. Maybe he had dismissed Sasuke's absence as a fluke.

Sasuke sighed as Kabuto slowly approached him through the halls that grey pony-tailed head drawing nearer. Even looking at him drudged up annoyance and distaste. Kabuto inconspicuously navigated through the throng of high schoolers making their way into the cafeteria for lunch period. The senior finally met Sasuke in the hallway.

He regarded Sasuke unassertively before adding politely, "Hi, Sasuke. I need to talk to you about something."

"Likewise," Sasuke answered simply.

Kabuto tilted his head in mild surprise, browsing the halls momentarily. It was rare for Sasuke to seek Kabuto out.

"400's bathroom in five."

This was their temporary meeting place during this time of day. It was far away from the cafeteria, so it was rarely used during lunch hour. Hopefully their conversation would be uninterrupted.

"Sure."

They parted ways, Sasuke stuffing his anatomy book into his backpack. Would he spend the lunch period in the library again? Perhaps, but if Kabuto tried to intimidate him, he wouldn't let the older male scare him away. What would Kabuto have to say to him this time? He wasn't exactly looking forward to it. Kabuto was already waiting for him when Sasuke entered, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. It seemed that he'd been staring at the door the instant Sasuke entered.

"Hey, Sasuke."

Sasuke grunted.

"Hi."

Kabuto frowned.

"Look, Sasuke… I wanted to say I'm sorry for last Thursday." Kabuto dropped his arms, hoping to assume a more inviting posture before adding, "I really should've given you a heads up."

Sasuke raised a brow, staring at Kabuto skeptically. He'd never heard Kabuto apologize before, but then again, the vast majority of the words out of that guy's mouth served an ulterior motive.

"You should be."

Kabuto's lip twitched, and it was obvious to Sasuke that he was holding his tongue.

"But you were great in there, and it seems like Orochimaru really took a liking to you."

Sasuke grunted.

"And you know, if you ever want to work with him, he's always available."

Sasuke sighed, shifting his weight to his other foot.

"I wasn't going to ask you for this," Kabuto told Sasuke sheepishly, "But the timing works out such as…"

Sasuke stared back at Kabuto flatly.

"Spit it out."

Kabuto did not appreciate being bossed around, and this was obvious. Yet he somehow managed to pull it together, through clenched teeth and a sharp jaw. Sasuke wondered what exactly Kabuto wanted out of him.

"Do you want to make some money? Some _real_ money?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. This didn't sound good. He'd _told_ himself he didn't want to deal with this asshole anymore. But regardless, would it hurt to satisfy his curiosity?

"I thought I told you to spit it out."

Kabuto huffed under his breath, glaring at Sasuke now. Yes, Sasuke was being insolent. But he didn't want Kabuto to think he could weasel his way back into Sasuke's trust. Now was no time to be soft, and Sasuke would establish his dominance in this situation. It was Kabuto asking something of him, not the other way around.

"A friend of my uncle's is loaded. He's a millionaire. Well, he's leaving for a weekend, and the sucker doesn't even lock his house. He doesn't even have a security system, despite being robbed last year. He's a sitting duck."

Sasuke's eyes widened, and he merely stared back at Kabuto. Sasuke thought he knew what Kabuto was getting at, but he hoped he was wrong.

"Are you…seriously suggesting that we rob someone's house?"

Kabuto sighed, staring towards the ground. This was an act. It had to be.

"Look, I know it sounds bad. But all we need to do is walk in the front door and take a few smaller valuables. No TVs or any shit like that. He has a lot of very expensive jewelry we could pawn off."

Sasuke shook his head, snickering.

"You didn't strike me as the type to be an aspiring comedian, Kabuto."

Kabuto frowned.

"This is an opportunity, Sasuke. You could make _thousands_. It could change your life."

Yes, he could make thousands. By becoming a criminal. Even if he were still the person he used to be before Naruto entered his life, he _still_ doubted he would have considered this. It was outrageous.

Sasuke scoffed, "I have no doubts that it could change my life."

"I know you've been taking some risks lately. But where has it gotten you? You're a few thousand dollars richer and haven't gotten in one single speck of trouble."

Yes, this was true. But the stakes were ever escalating, and Sasuke was being pushed into being someone else entirely. It was only a matter of time until it caught up with him, and he had responsibilities to others which would be wholly irresponsible to jeopardize.

"Your plan is beyond stupid."

Kabuto smiled at Sasuke, the left side of his lips rising to show a glimmer of teeth.

"Our friends didn't seem to think it was such a ridiculous idea."

Sasuke paused, staring at Kabuto incredulously.

"_What?_"

For the first time since this conversation had begun, Sasuke sounded affected.

"You heard me," Kabuto sneered. "Karin, Suigetsu, and even Juugo… _All_ of them are in. While you were staying home from school last week nursing your booboos, we came to a decision."

Sasuke was dumbfounded, but more than that… Karin and Suigetsu… Yes, they were stupid. Stupid, easily influenced, and immature. But still… They went to parties together, they shopped together, and they ate together. And Juugo… Juugo was a genuinely good person. He had a decent head on his shoulders, and he'd helped Sasuke through some horrible times (or at least he'd attempted to).

Whether it was embarrassing to admit or not, these people were his _friends_. And they were going to break into someone's house to steal thousands of dollars' worth of possessions. Perhaps even worse, they were going to do it with _this _sleezeball, the guy who had casually shoved a loaded .45 into Sasuke's hand just days ago.

It couldn't be true. They were wayward, yes. They drank, shoplifted, smoked weed, and sold soft drugs. But _this_? This was far beyond the scope of his group's usual rebellion. Maybe this was something Kabuto wouldn't even blink at. But for them… No, they couldn't _possibly_ be that stupid.

"I don't believe that for a fucking second."

"Oh?" Kabuto lifted his brows whimsically, mockingly. "Well, you're free to ask them about it."

Silence. It had to be a lie. Kabuto smirked.

"See, Sasuke. It's not so bad. We'll all be there with you. You don't have to be afraid."

"You think I'm _afraid_?"

"If you're not afraid, then prove it."

Did Kabuto seriously think that he could talk Sasuke into robbing a house by putting his ego on the line? Sasuke knew he was being underestimated, but he had more pressing things to care about than this loser's opinion of him.

"You've been manipulating people for so long," Sasuke answered, sounding unimpressed. "And still, this is the best you can do?"

"Sasuke…" Kabuto answered, his voice stern now. "Your brother's barely pulling through, and here you are just studying, sleeping, and eating. Do you even give a shit that you're a leech?"

Sasuke lagged. That one… That one had actually hurt. He _was_ a leech. Sure, he'd made a little money on the side, but what was this compared to what Itachi had done for him? It wasn't his responsibility to become Sasuke's parent. Itachi was hardly even an adult. Sasuke was taking his youth away from him, forcing him to become someone so mature for his years. Itachi was suffering because of him, and all he did was eat, study, clean, and sleep.

Sasuke knew that if Kabuto were to manipulate him, this was exactly the thing he should say. It had hit him heavy and hard. This was a weak spot, and Sasuke admitted this to himself. Everyone had weak spots, but that didn't mean he'd allow himself to be controlled.

_I'm only fifteen_, he'd wanted to say. _It's not my fault. I'm doing everything I can._

But he didn't need to explain himself, not to this asshole. That would invite debate. It would tell Kabuto that his words had been effective and put Sasuke on the defensive.

"What happens in my family is none of your concern."

Kabuto laughed. He actually _laughed_. He stared at Sasuke for several seconds, Sasuke tilting his head was an irate and impatient expression on his face as if to say, "Are you done yet?"

"After your parents got roasted alive? You call that a _family_? Hilarious."

That fucking son of a bitch… How _dare_ he, Sasuke asked himself venomously. He couldn't allow someone to say such things about his family or his parents. _No one_ was allowed to belittle his parents' death. Kabuto had to pay for his disrespect.

He felt himself regress, remembering how he'd felt when he'd gotten in all of those fights. He remembered breaking Sai's nose, giving some junior a black eye, and the skin of his own lip busting open. When he saw those scars on his body, he remembered, and it _satisfied_ him. He felt the same anger, the same raw energy. His fist clenched so tight that his knuckles whitened and his short nails indented the skin of his palm. He widened his stance and brought back his right shoulder, his body unconsciously preparing him for combat. He wanted to break this asshole's face, so brutally that it would never repair.

But that was how he used to be. He was a child back then, seeing nothing but his own issues and needs. He had responsibilities now, and people to be strong for. He couldn't start fights at school. He'd get suspended, and the school and courts would be on his back in no time. It wasn't about him anymore. He wouldn't do this to his brother, to Naruto, or even to himself.

Furthermore, Sasuke knew that his reaction was part of Kabuto's plan all along. Sasuke's sadistic disposition was no secret to Kabuto. When saying such things, Kabuto probably expected Sasuke to react violently. For some reason, Kabuto wanted to get into a fight with Sasuke, and Sasuke was stubbornly against giving Kabuto what he wanted.

"Yes, I _do_ have a family."

_Unlike you_.

That had been on the tip of his tongue. Kabuto had left himself wide open for that, but if he was going to insult Kabuto, he'd at least show a little class. He'd remain calm. He wouldn't grant Kabuto the satisfaction of setting him off. Sure, Sasuke didn't have a mother or a father anymore. But he did have one brother, who would do just about anything for him. That was enough.

Yet there was another person… Someone who shared a home with him, a bed…and meals, _many_ meals. The circle was expanding. He wasn't alone now.

Sasuke smiled at Kabuto, and it was genuine.

"And we're doing just fine."

Kabuto was incensed by Sasuke's attitude, stepping towards him angrily. Kabuto's attempts were failing, and he was becoming frustrated. He was losing his cool, his upper lip snagged in a sneer. What control Kabuto lost, Sasuke gained. Sasuke observed Kabuto distantly, seeming almost untouchable.

"You don't believe that. You're _not_ fine, Sasuke. Your so-called family is falling apart at the seams, and you're just sitting back and watching."

Sasuke smirked, "What a simple target you've picked. Your transparency has made you boring."

Kabuto sneered, "But it's true, isn't it?"

Kabuto took another step forward. Sasuke didn't budge, staring directly into Kabuto's eyes.

"I'm not going to defend myself. I don't give a damn what you think, and it's none of your business."

"Alright. Alright then, you're obviously set on being unreasonable. So let me phrase this differently. If you sit this out, I'm never giving you _shit_ again. I'll blacklist you with Orochimaru. You'll be done. If you want to raise money for your brother, you better start mowing lawns."

Sasuke arched his brow.

"Perfect."

"_What?_" Kabuto asked, his expression demanding an explanation.

"That's what I wanted to discuss with you. Did you think I was bluffing on Thursday?"

Kabuto stepped back, his gaze widening as he understood what Sasuke referred to. Kabuto hadn't taken him seriously. At the time, he really had still been debating whether or not to step out of things with Kabuto. He hated to admit that he could've well come back with a completely different attitude.

"You're a leech, Sasuke."

Kabuto had moved close to him now, staring down at him, their chests pressed together. Kabuto's back faced the door, blocking Sasuke from it. Kabuto was trying to intimidate him. No. Sasuke decided that it wouldn't work like that.

"I'm done. You're useless to me now."

Kabuto shook his head, laughing.

"Hah! Wow, Sasuke. Wow! You have _really_ fucked up."

Sasuke tilted his head back to look at the taller man, his brow elevated in wry distaste, "Kabuto, I have better things to do with my time than listen to a jobless, twenty-one year old high school student lecture me about being a leech. Best of luck."

Sasuke turned away, moving around Kabuto to reach the door. However, just as he passed Kabuto, the senior's fist clenched Sasuke's shirt, yanking Sasuke towards him. They were crammed together now, and Sasuke wondered if Kabuto would attempt to strike him.

"_Obviously_, you need some time to reconsider. You won't be able to shake me so easily, Uchiha."

Kabuto seemed to think he could push Sasuke around, pulling Sasuke up to meet his height. Sasuke's heels parted with the ground. Keeping his forearm straight and strong, from his elbow to his knuckles, Sasuke knocked Kabuto's hand out of the way, freeing himself before he stormed towards the door.

"Go fuck yourself, Kabuto."


	39. Chapter 37

This was ludicrous. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation, even considering all of their indiscretions and reckless risks. Sure, they'd acted up. They'd sold drugs, shoplifted, and threw some pretty wild this… This was breaking and entering. This was _thousands_ of dollars worth of theft. It was the sort of decision that could reconfigure a future with a single tick of the clock.

"Yeah, it's true," Juugo answered with a nod, unable to look directly into Sasuke's demanding stare.

He'd taken Juugo into the very same restroom he'd met Kabuto in. The last class of the day was just about to begin. Sasuke could hear people passing by, chattering and occasionally roughhousing. It was only a matter of time until someone walked in on them, but he had to talk to at least one of his friends before school let out.

"We're going the weekend after next."

He didn't give a damn about Kabuto. The senior was certainly hiding _something_, and Sasuke doubted that any consequence could cause him to experience even the weakest dose of sympathy for Kabuto. His friends, however…

Suigetsu and Karin were fortunately both minors. However, Juugo has just breeched eighteen, though he thankfully had no legal record as far as Sasuke knew. Other than Naruto, Juugo was questionably his best friend. This could easily ruin Juugo's _life_, and none other than Kabuto was at the helm. Sasuke wasn't the type to help people who refused to be helped, but considering the potential consequences, he'd at least make an attempt. After all, what did he have to lose?

"Are you out of your mind?" Sasuke hissed, his disbelieving eyes demanding an explanation.

"I know, Sasuke," Juugo conceded with a sigh. "I just… I _need_ this."

Sasuke merely stared at first, causing Juugo to shuffle uncomfortably. He needed this? Why would he ever need something like _this_? Was it a matter of money? A thirst for rebellion? What?

"What are you talking about? Kab-"

The door opened, and an unknowing freshman walked towards a stall. Sasuke sighed rubbing his temples. He felt so frustrated with all of them. Idiots… It was all frustration, he told himself. It wasn't concern.

"I'll discuss this with you later. Until then, don't do anything stupid."

That was the last he'd spoken with his friends at school today. Now he sat at the back of his school bus, alone. His mind shifted away from his friends, doubts resurfacing. Although he'd remained relatively calm in the situation, he fumed in the back of his mind over the things Kabuto had said. A part of him regretted not bashing a couple of teeth out while he'd had the chance, at the most perfect moment. _No one_ should talk that way about his family. Why had he allowed it?

However, as Sasuke combed over the course of the day, another emotion began to subjugate this regret: pride. Kabuto had been trying to manipulate Sasuke, trying to rile him up and see him hurt. In the past, Sasuke's predictably sadistic disposition would have made him much easier to play. Sasuke had refused to give Kabuto what he wanted – a fact which had been made obvious on Kabuto's face. He had been egging Sasuke on, just begging for him to throw a punch. In fact, if Sasuke had possessed the same temperament that he had even a few months ago, a violent explosion from Sasuke would have been safely predictable. There was no telling what kind of trouble he would have been in right now.

Kabuto only became more frustrated as the conversation continued, and in the end, Sasuke was the one who left the room with a smirk on his face. So why was he brooding over this? Sure, Kabuto had only been trying to upset him, but it had been true. He was a dead weight. Kabuto had mentioned this the instant Sasuke called off their arrangement, as if it had been perfectly obvious. It was Sasuke's greatest doubt regarding his decision.

Sure, he'd behave. Come adulthood, his record would be spotless. Yet he'd become a burden to Itachi. He'd saved Itachi's life. Sasuke tried to console his aching conscience with that fact. But if Sasuke hadn't been born to begin with, Itachi would have been able to have the surgery before things had progressed to this point. From another perspective, Sasuke had almost _killed_ him.

What else could he do? He'd searched desperately for work. He'd gone through the malls, online employment databases, grocery stores… Work was hard enough to find for adults, let alone fifteen-year-olds with no work experience. There were only so many lawns he could mow, so many possessions he had to sell. Even Naruto had begun to earn money, though he was taking dire risks in doing so. He couldn't remember the last time he or Naruto had eaten anything besides pasta, cereal, bread, and instant ramen. Sasuke's grades had remained high, and along with everything else, there was hardly time for sleep. Between Sasuke's stress, his malnourishment, and his lack of sleep, he was exhausted in every sense of the word.

He wasn't enjoying this bus ride. He stared out the window, allowing the school rush traffic to distract him. He just wanted to go home. Juugo, Karin, and Suigetsu… All of them were fools. He knew he had to fix things with them, _had_ to talk them out of this. He didn't know how he'd do it, but he had to try. Still, it made him feel rather alone.

His shoulders were slumped when he approached his front door. Naruto was vacuuming the living room carpet when he entered. Sasuke was able to reach the kitchen unnoticed by Naruto, any noise he made tuned out by the loud suction of the vacuum. However, the instant Naruto noticed Sasuke, the machine was silenced.

"Hey, Sasuke," he beamed, walking over and kissing Sasuke on the cheek.

Naruto was being awfully affectionate, aware that the day must have been difficult for Sasuke. Naruto was appreciative that he had gotten off of work early today. He wanted to be there to greet Sasuke when he got home.

"I did it."

This was a bear hug if he'd ever had one. Sasuke believed he heard his spine crack.

"Sasuke! I'm _so_ proud of you! Agh, ya little bastard…" Naruto said, tickling at Sasuke's sides. "Finally taking my divine wisdom seriously!"

"Would you stop manhandling me?" Sasuke requested, only half full of sincerity.

"Not until you understand the extent of my pride. _Pride_."

Sasuke smiled faintly.

"Yeah… Well, it's over now. The straight and narrow for me."

Naruto shook his head, still laughing.

"I've been waiting so long for this, ever since I found out what a sneaky little bastard you've been recently."

And finally, he could stop worrying about Sasuke. Naruto was sure that Sasuke's future had become brighter today. Rather than responding, Sasuke shrugged.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Naruto stared at Sasuke openly, wondering if he could make Sasuke fluster. Shit, why had he even attempted? Of course he couldn't get a read from him.

"Okay, I get it. You don't have to tell me."

"Thanks," Sasuke answered.

He refused to tell Naruto about what Kabuto had said, though it was obvious to him that giving up the issue had been challenging for his pushy lover. He didn't need Naruto's reassurance; he was too strong for that.

Sasuke sat down and poured himself a bowl of cereal. He hadn't eaten at school today, since things had gotten so hectic. But he was starving, and he was glad when Naruto wordlessly followed him, pouring himself a bowl of generic Captain Crunch. The cereal chattered against the porcelain bowl, emitting a small poof of crumbs towards the end. It tasted way too sweet and cut the roof of one's mouth even worse than the original, but given their financial situation, it would have to do.

The two ate wordlessly, and Sasuke was enjoying the peace and the companionship after the turn this day had made. He felt entirely safe and relaxed with Naruto there, and he noticed that recently, Naruto had come to tolerate their silences much better. Perhaps this was a sign that they had truly become comfortable with each other, as Naruto no longer felt the need to fill any emptiness with words, just to bleach it of any unspoken and undecipherable meaning or mystery said emptiness might have held. The blond was more alright these days with not knowing, although given the depth of their relationship, he usually knew anyhow.

"Was it simple?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Was what simple?"

"You know what I mean."

"I suppose," Sasuke answered, his voice reminiscent of a shrug, though he didn't move.

"So, he just let you go? No strings attached?"

Sasuke continued to eat, not looking back at Naruto.

"I've got it handled."

Blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"He's trying to hold one over on you, huh?"

"I don't know. It's too early to say."

"Ah…"

The crunching of cereal was the only sound for several seconds. It was the sort of cereal that rendered futile any attempts to eat in polite silence.

"You'd tell me if you were in any danger, right?"

Naruto didn't want to overreact, but this _was_ the guy who had given Sasuke a loaded gun and hooked him up with a drug dealer well over twice his age. He knew very little about the man, but what little knowledge he did have was more than enough to concern him.

"Mhm," Sasuke lied. What could Naruto do about it, even if he was? It would worry Naruto needlessly, and Sasuke was quite aware of how Naruto liked to worry over him. There were few benefits to letting him know and plenty of disadvantages.

They continued to eat, Naruto's brows knitting in blatant concern. He had always been so easy to read, and Sasuke tried not to smile in amusement.

"How's work been?" Sasuke asked, changing the subject to save Naruto from his thoughts.

"Oh, great!" Naruto answered enthusiastically. He'd always been so conveniently easy to distract. "I mean, I spent a good part of today cleaning out Port-o-potties, but Jo and I had a great time. She's so funny."

Naruto had never mentioned anyone named Jo before, though Sasuke left this unmentioned, as he frankly didn't care about her either way. His question had achieved its purpose either way.

"Your knack for optimism borders on delusion," Sasuke told him with a good-natured smirk.

Of course Naruto could have a good day working around human feces and sweat. If anyone could do it, he could.

"It's a gift," Naruto answered through a toothy grin.

"And a curse. You're idealistic and far too trusting."

Naruto tossled his hair with a passionate shake of the head.

"No way. I see the world for how it really is!"

Sasuke arched a skeptical brow at Naruto.

"C'mon, don't you ever get sick of being so cynical all the time?"

"I never get sick of realism."

"Of course _you_ wouldn't. You're always so stiff," Naruto chided playfully, sticking out his tongue.

Sasuke gripped Naruto's tongue between his thumb and pointer finger, before Naruto laughed and pushed Sasuke away.

"It's better to be a stiff than an idiot."

"Nah. I'd rather be an idiot. At least you're really _living_ then, experiencing life and all the loveliness and lovely bullshit it has to offer."

"I'm very much alive, Naruto," Sasuke replied, his words almost seductive. Though Sasuke hadn't meant to sound this way, Naruto had to stifle the slight shiver that came over his body. He had a weakness for Sasuke's voice, especially speaking words such as those with a timbre so unintentionally deep and full.

However, Sasuke interpreted Naruto's silence as a victory, taking another bite of cereal with a cocky smirk. This wouldn't last, as they soon fell into banter once again. Kabuto's words were becoming more distant in Sasuke's memory, and yet again, Naruto had soothed his psyche without even attempting to. It was nice to have a friend who wasn't involved in all of this bullshit. He felt like a much better person when Naruto was around.

Sasuke's phone was ringing now. He glanced down quickly, noticing that it was Kabuto's number. He'd ignore it. But Kabuto called again. Sasuke turned the ringer off, but Naruto noticed this.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"No one important."

Naruto poked his head around Sasuke's shoulder curiously, attempting to catch a glimpse of the call ID but failing. It was out of concern, and if not out of concern, it was out of jealousy. Could it be that the man Sasuke had just confronted today was trying to reach him so urgently? Or was it simply another one of Sasuke's admirers? He hated how removed he was from Sasuke's social life. He had to admit that he was almost as jealous of Sasuke as he was of his admirers. He'd never been anywhere near as popular, even when he'd attended school. Sasuke shrugged people off every day, when Naruto would be overjoyed just to have someone to talk to.

Now, however, the landline was ringing. The phone was old, and its ring was loud. Kabuto must've known that this was a good way to get Sasuke to pick up. The voicemail started.

"Hello, Sasuke. I need to talk to you about something. I was having a problem with…"

Naruto looked over at Sasuke in confusion. He was now forced to grab the phone, lest Naruto overhear more. Was Kabuto trying to force Sasuke to answer the phone by leaving a message on the landline? Sasuke wasn't sure where Kabuto was going with this.

"What?"

Sasuke hated talking on this phone. It was a corded phone that had been donated to them after the fire. It must've been at least a decade old, and the voice quality was shit. Sasuke and Itachi both used their cell phones though, so something nicer was an unnecessary luxury.

"Sasuke, so glad you picked up. I was wondering if you didn't enjoy talking to me anymore," Kabuto said, his voice slightly patronizing.

"What do you want?"

Naruto puckered his lips to the side slightly and raised his brow, appearing almost comical. The curiosity was killing him, but he for now would focus on his cereal, which was unfortunately becoming soggy. He forced himself to take a bite and tried not to focus on the conversation.

"Maybe I gave you the wrong impression, with my invitation. Because it's not really an invitation. More of a demand."

Naruto could not hear Kabuto's words, but he at least picked up the tone and pitch of the man's voice. If he had to guess, this person was not their age.

"You think you're in the position to make demands?" Sasuke asked incredulously.

Naruto stopped chewing abruptly, forgotten and half-chewed food remaining in his mouth for a few seconds before he remembered to swallow. He was, however, out of Sasuke's field of vision. Was Sasuke talking to Kabuto? He resisted the temptation to literally shove his ear against the receiver. Getting this information out of Sasuke later would be difficult, and Naruto still had a hard time trusting Sasuke to tell him relevant information after as much danger as he'd put himself in throughout the past year. Sure, Sasuke was maturing. But Naruto recognized that this wouldn't be a quick process for either of them.

"Oh, of course I am. I have plenty of dirt on you, Sasuke. I could send you away for a long time. I could get you taken away from your so-called family."

Sasuke merely rolled his eyes, refusing to take the bait. However, he hated that Naruto was hearing this. Why did this damned thing have to have a cord again?

"You're threatening to involve the law? You're twenty-one, and I'm fifteen. I can prove that you're working with one of the biggest meth and cocaine dealers in town, and that you've _been_ working with him for years. Your record's already black. And what do you think would happen to your working relationship with Orochimaru if he found out you were a rat? If both of us were to be discovered, you would do much worse. If you try to take me down… I will destroy you," Sasuke stated, his voice stoic and unrattled.

That was all Naruto needed to hear. Naruto leaned towards Sasuke, trying to get his ear close enough to the receiver to overhear Kabuto. Sasuke shot him a nasty look and turned away from him. Naruto pursued him, and Sasuke continued to twist, the cord wrapping around him.

Sasuke pushed Naruto away, taking care not to let Kabuto hear any disturbances. Naruto stumbled backwards, almost stumbling over the cord but minding his step. He returned to persistently leech himself on to Sasuke. Naruto began to grunt as Sasuke pushed him away from the phone. Out of frustration, Sasuke crammed his palm into Naruto's face vindictively. After a bit more scrambling, Sasuke very reluctantly tolerated the intrusion. This wasn't exactly the time to spar with his boyfriend.

"I have other methods, Sasuke. I could report you to the law, or… The opportunity is open for you, Sasuke."

Sasuke wondered now why he'd ever allowed himself to associate with this person. Kabuto had never been his friend, though on some level, he'd always known this. He supposed it was best to find out Kabuto's true nature this way, when he had a least some protection from it. Yet Kabuto's threat held relatively little credibility. Why would he get himself into that much trouble just to control Sasuke? Kabuto had basically admitted that his first threat had been a bluff, though not putting it as many words. He'd aborted the approach, because Sasuke had seen through him.

"You can either join in, or…"

Sasuke untangled himself from the cord, and Naruto actually helped him…of course still with his face within breathing distance of Sasuke's.

"You can say goodbye to that pretty little face of yours."

Sasuke stopped. Kabuto was being vague, but that certainly didn't sound good. Kabuto had enough weapons, and he was planning on breaking into someone's house. Maybe he _was_ capable of a truly violent crime.

"What are you getting at?"

Kabuto snickered, "Do you really want to find out?"

Sasuke was silent, though he forced himself to speak again. The longer the silence, the more confident Kabuto would be that he had gotten under Sasuke's skin.

"Why do you care so much if I'm there? If I sit it out, it's just that much more loot for you."

Now there was a silence on Kabuto's end.

"Once I let people into my circle of trust, I don't like to let them out."

Sasuke believed he knew what Kabuto was attempting to do: He wanted to get Sasuke in so deep he couldn't leave. He wanted to get more dirt on Sasuke, and he wanted more control. That's how Kabuto worked, after all. He tried to control everyone, and if he'd done his job right, they'd never even suspect.

"Well, I'm leaving. Give up. This is pointless."

A few peaceful seconds. And then there was a snide chuckling, low and rolling. It grew, but it died completely before Kabuto next spoke.

"You just made the dumbest decision of your goddamned life, Uchiha."

A click, then a dialtone. Sasuke hung up the phone, placing it in his lap as Naruto separated himself from it. He stared back in Sasuke in dumb shock. Why did Naruto have to overhear _everything_?

"What is he talking about?" Naruto asked nervously.

"It's fine, Naruto."

"No, Sasuke. Tell me. What's the 'opportunity' he was talking about?"

"It's none of your business."

"Goddammit, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, his face contorted into rage. His hands made desperate and angry motions, his body still standing. "I try to respect your boundaries and privacy. I know I do a shit job sometimes, and I apologize for that. But this is something I'm not going to let you hide! I won't let you push me away this time; the stakes are too high. So yeah, this time, it _is_ my fucking business! Tell me what the hell he was talking about _right now_."

Sasuke inhaled deeply, then stared at Naruto's forgotten cereal bowl as he focused himself. He chose his next words carefully.

"Kabuto sought me out today and told me that he was going to rob someone. He wanted me to join in, but I refused and also told him I wasn't selling drugs for him anymore. As you can imagine, he wasn't too fond of that."

"Rob someone? How… You mean like pickpocketing or something?"

"No, not pickpocketing. He wanted us to break into someone's house."

"Shit…" Naruto's voice answered after he descended into several seconds of shocked silence. "Us?"

"Yeah… My friends are joining in. I know what you're thinking, and they're…not ordinarily like this. It seems like after I started with all this bullshit, they started declining."

"That isn't your fault. You know that, right?"

"I know."

Sasuke didn't blame himself… Not really. His friends could think for themselves. They were even older than him. They should have enough maturity to make their own decisions. Yet Sasuke also knew that he was considered the de facto group leader. When he made decisions or went down a given path, his friends would often follow, and sometimes to greater extremes.

"But regardless, I plan to talk them out of it," Sasuke added.

"I'm sure you can. People are crazy about you. They'll listen."

"I really hope so."

Naruto sat down again, reaching his hand across the table and grasping Sasuke's forearm. He frowned and began to rub the flesh with his thumb slowly, as if afraid he might lose Sasuke altogether.

"You're a good person, Sasuke."

Sasuke glanced back at Naruto, his eyes for once conveying uncertainty. His lips pursed. Naruto liked to claim that a lot. Was he right? He did have to admit that it was a rather noble act, but it was still difficult to see himself as a good person considering his past and some of the urges he still had.

"But what about you? You're not safe anymore," Naruto inserted quietly.

"He's bluffing."

The older boy shook his head fervently.

"No, Sasuke. This is bad," Naruto insisted, his anxiety building.

"I can read him."

Sasuke tried to act a great deal more certain of his fact than he really was. At this point, he was only seeking to reassure Naruto, even if he didn't fully believe what he'd said.

"Can you? Because he's definitely pulled one over on you before!" Naruto shouted, a mild panic worming its way into his voice.

"Calm down," Sasuke hissed, though he had to admit that Naruto had a point. Kabuto had drugged him, talked him into selling drugs… He'd even got him to supervise a deal involving all sorts of hard drugs with a loaded weapon, a potentially deadly situation.

"Okay… Okay. I'm sorry," Naruto sighed, taking visible effort to calm himself.

Naruto knew he wasn't a coward. He was entirely used to having his own life in danger. The scars on his face were a testament to that much. Hell, he'd even been assaulted and molested at knifepoint just a few months ago. It wasn't like him to lose his head. However, when it was Sasuke, it hit him much, much differently.

He now could say he understood the way Sasuke felt when Naruto had refused to go to the homeless shelters, when he had found Naruto black and blue on the street. He understood, if only a little bit, the way Sasuke felt the night Itachi had nearly died. It was a different breed of fear altogether. No wonder Sasuke had caved. Naruto marveled at how much stronger emotions could become when they were experienced for someone else.

"But this guy… Can you honestly say you know what he's capable of? He seems like a wild card."

"I just caught him in a bluff when he said he'd report me. It was a totally unrealistic threat, and when I called him on it, he changed the subject and threatened me with something else."

"I know…" Naruto answered hesitantly. "But still, just because he can bluff doesn't mean he can't be serious."

"Even if that's the case, what am I supposed to do about it now? I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Naruto stopped to consider, biting his lip nervously.

"I think you should tell someone."

Sasuke's lips parted as he regarded Naruto cautiously.

"Naruto, do you realize what could happen if I did that?"

He would probably end up in juvie, given how narrowly he'd avoided it just months ago. He'd be implicated in selling drugs, and maybe even shoplifting. He might even be removed from Itachi's custody, and who knew what would happen to Naruto?

"Yes, but…" Naruto frowned. "I'd rather see you in juvie than dead."

"I'm not going to die. You're being overdramatic."

Though Sasuke couldn't necessarily blame him. Nothing Naruto knew about Kabuto was very reassuring.

"You're in too deep," Naruto said gravely. "You're fifteen. You're a kid. You don't know what you're doing with these people, or what they're capable of."

"Naruto, it will be fine. We have to keep our heads if I'm gonna get through this. This is no time to panic."

"Dammit, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, his eyes starting to tear. "You're overconfident. That's always been your downfall! Just _admit_ that you're completely out of your element here!"

"So what if I am!" Sasuke answered, his voice assuming Naruto's volume. Yes, he was out of his element, but that was unavoidable at this point. He'd taken on more than he could really handle, and now he was facing the consequences. Sasuke's voice quickly returned its prior composed tone. "That's the situation I'm in now, and there's no way around it. Still, I doubt that Kabuto would kill me or critically injure me. The consequences are too heavy on his end. He's trying to convince me that he would, however, because now that he knows I want out, he wants me to get so involved that I can never run ship again. He knows that I'd never go to the law, so he's trying to make my only other option in avoiding him look as ugly as possible. He loses nothing in trying, because the worst he can do by threatening me is to alienate me, which he's already done well enough."

Naruto stopped to consider Sasuke's explanation. It made sense, though there was obviously no guarantee on any of it. Just one miscalculation could be catastrophic.

"I hope you're right," Naruto frowned.

"Objectively, I believe it to be the likeliest explanation."

He didn't have the luxury to heed all of the "what if"s in this situation. Naruto, however, wished that they had a lot more assurance than betting everything on "the likeliest explanation."

"So…" Naruto spoke slowly. "You're going to call his bluff and go for all or nothing?"

Naruto had called it well enough. If Sasuke told an authority figure, he was bound to get in deep and perhaps irreparable trouble. He could even get removed from Itachi's custody. But if Sasuke ignored Kabuto's threats, he'd either be fine or… Well, Kabuto hadn't exactly been clear.

"Yes."

Naruto paused, staring at Sasuke and slowly shaking his head. His explanation had made sense. Though he would have preferred Sasuke to handle the situation differently, he didn't believe he was being foolish. He actually couldn't help but admire Sasuke's bravery, wordlessly of course.

"I won't try to boss you around, Sasuke. No one has to face these consequences like you do. No matter what you choose… I'll respect it."

_But it seriously scares the piss out of me_, he'd wanted to say. He didn't. If Sasuke could be brave, so could he.

"Thanks, Naruto," Sasuke responded with a delicate smile.

"God…" Naruto sighed, leaning over the table to kiss Sasuke. He gripped Sasuke's hand tightly, and Naruto's hand felt both sweaty and cold to the touch. If Sasuke hadn't realized it before, this was enough to convince him that Naruto really had been frightened. The two kissed slowly and lazily, Naruto seeming to stretch the moment out as if their time together were precious and meager.

And perhaps it was. Even if Sasuke was unharmed, what would happen when Itachi inevitably discovered the truth? One way or another, their time together was nearing an end.

"Whatever happened to Saved by the Bell adolescence?" Naruto asked with a chuckle."Ya know, proms, finals, blowouts with parents…"

"Apparently our lives could never be so standard."

"Yeah, apparently not," Naruto answered with a smile two parts glad and one part somber.

"Maybe one day our lives will be simple, just after they've made us far too complicated," Sasuke proposed with a hint of dry jest.

"Well… Maybe that's not completely a bad thing. There are few fates worse than being standard."

Sasuke stared at Naruto coolly.

"You couldn't do standard if you tried. You're much too weird."

"I take that as a compliment, bastard."

Sasuke snickered, standing up and disregarding the cereal bowls. He'd clean them up later.

"Fuck this bullshit, I'm going to bed."

"At this time of day?"

It was still light out, and Sasuke hadn't even cleaned up their food as he generally insisted on doing. Naruto pieced together, a little too late, that perhaps Sasuke was more overwhelmed by the situation than he'd let on.

"Yeah. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Neither did I."

It didn't help that Naruto had woken up at four in the morning for work. He hadn't thought about it, but sleep seemed so appealing when Sasuke mentioned it.

"Let's take a nap together," Naruto added, smiling. "I'll clean up the cereal."

"Thanks."

Naruto hated to throw food away. After begging for it on the streets, it halfway killed him. But they clearly weren't going to eat this any time soon, and there was hardly any left. Even though he'd been off the streets for months, in some ways, he hadn't completely adapted. Still, before grabbing his bowl and taking it towards the sink, he cast Sasuke a hesitant glance.

"Go ahead. It'll just go bad."

Naruto inwardly cringed as he poured the last soggy bits of cereal down the disposal, repeating the action with Sasuke's bowl. He motioned for Sasuke, clearly very tired, to go upstairs. Once he got into his room, he slipped off his shoes and socks, changing into a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a maroon T-shirt. He didn't fold his clothing up; he swore he'd do it after he'd gotten some rest.

For now, he'd finish some anatomy homework. It'd be a great way to get his mind off of this business, and it needed done anyway. He was able to concentrate well, as he usually was able to under pressure. That ability had been his GPA's saving grace this past year. He was fairly engrossed once Naruto reached the bedroom. Naruto noted that Sasuke had taken his clothes off and actually _left_ them on the ground, crumpled and askew. From his uptight lover, it seemed almost unreal. Naruto smiled slightly, loving the indirect ways in which he was finally learning to read Sasuke.

As stressed as Naruto was, he knew that Sasuke was suffering as well. Quietly, of course. He hated that Sasuke was enduring so many responsibilities; it didn't seem right for someone their age. Naruto realized how much Sasuke wordlessly admired his older brother for maturing so quickly under fire and shouldering more than anyone his age should ever have to. He wondered if Sasuke realized how similar he was becoming to the man.

Naruto folded the clothes inconspicuously. Sasuke heard Naruto doing this, and he had no doubts as to why Naruto was being so kind. Naruto wouldn't have done this under most normal circumstances. Was he letting on? They understood each other now, and Sasuke was secretly pleased when Naruto got into bed with him, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's waist. Sasuke didn't put the book down, and Naruto closed his eyes as he nuzzled his nose into Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke now felt content as he read. Naruto glanced up at the text for a few seconds out of mild curiosity, reading a few sentences about the pulmonary system and quickly having his fill. He allowed his eyes to drift down towards Sasuke's shirt and his arms, watching the small and natural shifts of muscle tissue and skin as Sasuke breathed.

"I know we're both really young, but…" Naruto stared at Sasuke's shirt, his tongue feeling clumsy in his mouth. "I think I'm really in love with you."

Sasuke stopped breathing for a moment, and Naruto felt his chest hitch. Sasuke reminded himself to breathe normally, aware that Naruto could hear any disturbance, his ear against him. Sasuke cast his eyes away from his book but didn't put it down quite yet.

"What's got you so sentimental?" Sasuke asked in one of his calmest voices.

"You know what."

"Mn."

"I mean it, yanno."

"Yeah, I know."

Sasuke was pretending to read his book again, but he'd stopped paying attention to it after Naruto had stopped talking. The words played over in his head, though even Naruto couldn't read that much from him.

"No, I really, _really_ mean it."

Naruto took Sasuke's face in both of his hands and forced Sasuke to look at him. He was hiding behind that book, which was blatantly obvious to Naruto.

"Sasuke, you're…really important to me. I don't want to lose you."

Sasuke rested his book down by his side, keeping it open to the proper page and taking a deep breath.

"Naruto…"

"Please, just be safe," Naruto said softly, brushing his lips against Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke glanced down at Naruto's face, which was now hidden amongst the covers and Sasuke's clothing.

"Okay."

Giving into the older boy's kind touches and words, Sasuke allowed himself to relax, one arm draped around Naruto, the other resting across his mid-section to gently intertwine his fingers with the blond's. He focused on the calloused feel of his boyfriend's hand to steady his thoughts. His hands always seemed to be like that, whether from vagrancy or from the odd and often rigorous jobs he'd been doing as of late. Sasuke usually liked people with calloused hands. And Sasuke, perhaps, _loved_ Naruto.

Where would life take him? How long could this last? He allowed his stressful thoughts - of Kabuto, of his friends, of Itachi, and of what would become of him and Naruto - to rest. As he closed his eyes, his grip on the other tightened just slightly. He could hear the gentle breathing and feel the warmth of his lover's body, and he savored the moment. His last thoughts before sleep took him were hoping that his stressed, sleep-deprived mind would remember this moment forever.

* * *

Sorry this is late, guys. Things have been a little busy on my end, tying up a lot of loose ends since I've returned from Europe. And I'm engaged now. :) I forget if I already mentioned that.

Anyhow, hoped you all liked it.


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